A Demon's Fate
by petitefeeme
Summary: Someone one day said: a simple grain of sand can make the balance tilt one way. What if a simple gesture of generosity could change the very destiny of a child that should be seen as a hero, but is rejected and hated. What if this child was offered a family and knew love?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one

**And here is the first chapter! I hope you'll like it.**

**In this story Damaru and her father Daichi are the descendants of the Nidaime (second) Hokage Tobirama Senju.**

**The 'create you oc' event I opened a while ago is still open. Don't hesitate to send the description of your oc and if you want it to be around Damaru and Itachi's age or more around Naruto and Sasuke's.**

**I'll make you wait no more, please read and enjoy! **

The silence in the room was deafening. It was heavy, creeping underhanded into your very bones before gripping tightly your heart in a vice clench.

Well, at least that was what Damaru was feeling right now.

Sitting on a little chair near the window, she was looking outside, her peridot green eyes unblinking from the little pathway leading to the modest house.

"Damaru!" whined a high pitched voice, startling the five years old girl out of her trance.

She turned her head slowly, her white hairs glinting blue under the moonshine.

Beside her three years old Ami pouted stubbornly at the older girl, her dark brown eyes holding a spark of stubborn determination proper to young children.

"Damaru!" she repeated, heaving each syllabuses of the name in hope of getting her point across "Let's play!"

In her childish mind, if her father brought back this girl home, it was to play with her.

"Shouldn't you be in bed Ami-chan?" whispered softly Damaru, only blinking passively when the little girl puffed her cheeks in frustration.

Frankly, with everything that happened this night, Ami was far too excited to go back to sleep.

First, she was woken up by a frantic mother who put her hastily in some random clothes before bringing her out of the house.

Having just woken up, eyelids heavy with sleep, the cold had hit her brutally. She had wanted to cry, but her wails of protestation had been covered by a thundering roar, quickly followed by huge collapsing sounds.

Ami had wanted to go investigate, her childish curious nature immediately aroused. She had tried wriggling out of her mother's grip, whining, but the woman only tightened her hold and briskly told her to stop complaining.

Her unusual tone, coupled with the afraid, almost panicked look she was wearing, made the three years old effectively shut up. Ami had felt intimidated by seeing her mother so out of character.

Something must have happened. She didn't know what exactly, but it was surely grave.

Soon they had reached underground rooms hidden behind the Hokkage monument and they had stayed for so long Ami had fallen asleep again.

When she woke up, she was once again in her mother's arms, being carried.

Rubbing her eyes, she had curiously peered around to see some buildings had collapsed. Rocks and wreckages were strewn over, dust rising lazily in heavy clouds.

She could see numerous ninjas rushing by them, some transporting injured ones.

She had bugged her mother, but not to avail. The woman refused to tell her anything, saying she was too young to understand (which only encouraged the little girl to bug her harder).

Finally the two had reached home and after putting her child into her pyjamas once again, her mother ordered Ami to sleep.

So of course the little girl decided to spy on her.

Silently slipping into the living room, she had hidden behind the couch, observing her mother sitting in it endlessly, sometimes getting up to walk in circles, a worried expression etched on her face.

Ami had almost fallen back asleep when her father entered, followed by another man Ami didn't recognised.

In the unknown man's arms was Damaru.

Ami had silently observed the man put down the shivering little girl, resting a reassuring hand on her head.

He, her father and her mother had talked a bit in hushed voices that Ami couldn't decipher before the two men walked out again. The stranger had hugged the little girl tightly, whispering something in her ears before walking out.

Ami had waited until her mother pushed the girl into the kitchen before silently tip toeing back in her room.

She had crawled under her covers, waiting for the girl and her mother to come in before bolting out of her bed, asking questions.

Her mother surprisingly only scowled at her and asked the two to sleep before exiting the room, closing the door behind her.

Curious and excited, Ami unleashed on the girl a torrent of questions on the unsuspecting girl.

Said girl had blinked several times, slowly, before giving her a tentative smile and offering her name.

After that she had pulled a chair just under the window, sat on it and said nothing more, just waiting, her gaze fixated outside, giving a good impression of a statue.

"But I don't want to sleep!" raged the tiny child, stomping her feet on the grounds.

Damaru let out a discreet sigh that Ami didn't caught and observed the stubborn child who was now pouting like there was no tomorrow.

"How about I tell you a story?" she finally proposed, her voice so quiet it was barely over a whisper.

All thoughts of other plays immediately left the three years old mind as she clapped excitedly.

Seeing her smiling face Damaru assumed that the answer was positive and led her to her bed.

She helped the child in and sat beside her.

"Once upon a time." She began "In the fire kingdom, lived a very old, but very wise king that ruled the land with fairness and equality. His people were very happy and lived in peace."

Damaru took a moment to think before continuing:

"But an evil monster wanted to destroy the fire kingdom. So one night, he decided to attack!"

"No!" exclaimed Ami, totally taken by the story "We can't let him!"

"Of course we can't." nodded Damaru "This is why the King sent his best knight to slay the beast. The man was a legend. He was strong, intelligent and the king had no doubt that he would stop the monster."

Ami nodded vigorously, burrowing herself deeper in her covers.

"He appeared in the battlefield with his loyal page and everyone began hoping again."

Little Ami felt her eyes began closing themselves against her own accord. But she wanted to know how the story ended so she fought the sleep who wanted to claim her.

"The battle was hard and long." Said Damaru "But the knight and his page fought valiantly and in the end prevailed. The beast was no more and the people rejoiced."

"That's good." Mumbled sleepily Ami, letting slumber finally claim her.

Damaru smiled sadly and arranged the little girl's bedding before returning to her previous place.

She perfectly knew that the story didn't end like that.

She knew that in the end the knight died.

She was at the front line when Kyuubi attacked.

When it happened she was sleeping in her bed while her mother was in the living room, waiting for her father to come home.

It happened so suddenly the little girl had frozen over for a long time before understanding what was happening.

One moment she was comfortably sleeping and the next the building had toppled over, the walls crumbling away as a destructive orange tail swept the house away.

Damaru had screamed and darted under her covers on reflex.

She had closed her eyes tightly and waited.

When she felt no huge rock crush her body, she had peaked out to see herself surrounded by destroyed buildings and huge clouds of dust.

Coughing as she inadvertently inhaled said dust, Damaru's thoughts suddenly had gone to her mother.

"Mom!" she had cried, scrambling hastily out of her bed to search into the remnants of the house she called home.

She only had found an arm, sticking out of a pile of remnants and rocks.

She had tugged, shaked, taken the hands in hers, trying to get a reaction, something. But the arm remained limp and unmoving, shaping at an odd angle.

When her aniki appeared near her, she was crying her heart out, not caring if there was a huge, orange fox destroying buildings not too far away.

Her memories were blurred. She remembered her aniki's voice, wind whipping her face, and darkness, a lot of darkness.

Her aniki finally came back for her, saying that her father, uncle and himself were extremely busy. So he dropped her in a foreign house, where an equally foreign woman offered her warm milk and pyjamas before putting her to bed.

But she couldn't sleep, even after the little girl finally fell asleep after her story.

So she stayed sat on her chair by the window, observing quietly the empty road leading to the house. Sometimes the wind picked up dust, creating a silver cloud for a fleeting second.

The sun peaked up, highlighting the destroyed parts of Konoha, finding an awkwardly asleep little girl against the windowsill.

She didn't see a man with long silvery grey hairs appear on the road, nor did she wake up when he picked her up in his arms.

The man silently thanked the woman before walking out, transporting the sleeping girl to a house a bit in the outskirt of the village.

"How is she?" asked Daichi Senju once he noticed the duo, looking up from quantities of scrolls.

"Asleep." Smirked the silver haired man, intercepting the kunai sent by his best friend "Don't worry our little Damaru is strong."

"Hn." Answered the man before returning to his scroll "Kakashi is with the baby."

"So you did it?" asked Sakumo, surprised "They really permitted you to take him."

"Technically speaking we're his closest relatives here." Grumbled Daichi "And Jiraya is on the road again. I refuse to let him be sent in a random orphanage, alone and without support. He'll need a family when he'll have to confront the world. And I made a promise to Kushina and Minato."

This was one of the rare times Sakumo saw the man speak so long. The only other occasion was when he saved the man from himself, staying and speaking constantly with him to prevent his suicide. He made him see the light, per say, and for that Sakumo, as well as Kakashi, would be eternally grateful.

"I'll put her to bed." He said, climbing upstairs.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

Damaru woke up when she heard a wail.

She took some time crunching her eyes open, slowly finding the courage to move back the warm covers surrounding snuggly her little body.

The wails continued and she sat on her bed, rubbing tiredly her eyes before hopping up, padding softly to the source of the noise.

Suddenly she stopped, realising she was back in her house, and had been sleeping in her bed.

Who had transported her here? Where was dad? And uncle Sakumo? And Kakashi-nii?

A wail again disturbed her thoughts and she focused on the matter at hand, resuming her walk to the usually empty room beside hers.

She was surprised, upon opening the screen, to find a crib.

The wails were coming from here, but what a baby was doing here of all places?

Spotting a stool in front of a sideboard, she pulled it beside the crib.

Climbing on it, pushing on her tiptoes and supporting herself against the rim of the crib, she blinked as her peridot green eyes met sky blue's.

The baby gurgled. Damaru blinked again and extended her left arm.

A single finger touched the soft skin of the baby's belly, tracing the black markings decorating it.

The baby gurgled again and a tiny, warm and soft hand latched reflexively on the offending finger.

A ghost of a smile highlighted Damaru's featured and she gazed back into those profound blue eyes.

Time seemed to stop, and Damaru's smile became bigger.

That is until the baby began wailing again, his little eyes scrunching tight.

She heard someone enter the room and turned to see her father.

His midnight black hairs were unkept, dark rings were appearing under his dark brown eyes, but that didn't stop him from smiling when his daughter lurched herself at him.

"Daddy!" exclaimed happily the little girl, hugging tightly her father's neck as he scooped her up in his arms.

"How's my princess?" Greeted tiredly the man, kissing his daughter's forehead before turning his gaze toward the now screaming blond baby "How about you help me feed the little one?"

Damaru nodded and Daichi put her back down before carefully scooping up the baby.

Together they went downstairs, in the kitchen, and Damaru sat on the wooden bench beside the table.

"Here." Her father instructed, handing her the baby "Hold his head firmly, and support his body with your other arm…yes, like that, perfect."

He smiled before getting up again and preparing the baby's feeding bottle.

"Do you want something to eat?" he asked while putting the fire under two recipients of water. He saw his daughter shook her head "Are you sure?"

"I'm not hungry." Replied Damaru.

She watched as her father sterilised the tools, checking the temperature of the other water body before tipping it inside the bottle.

"She isn't coming back isn't she?" she suddenly asked, her voice barely over a whisper.

Daichi froze, his hand over the milk formula powder.

He turned grave eyes to his daughter before shooking slowly his head.

Damaru adverted her eyes, looking outside through the window to her right.

She gave back the baby for her father to feed him and asked:

"What's his name?"

"Naruto."

**And it's finished, next chapter next Friday.**

**I hope you liked. Don't hesitate to leave me a review for any remarks, appreciation or anything!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

**I want to thank Sukki18 who reviewed this fanfic. I hople you'll like this second chapter;**

**Please read and enjoy!**

The first week wasn't a piece of cake. Each night Damaru would crawl into her father's bed, whether he was here or not, and cry her heart out. During the day, even if she was polite and attentive toward her family members, she appeared empty, her eyes devoid of the sparkle that was here before.

The only positive point was Naruto. Kakashi, Daichi and Sakumo observed as she bounded quickly with the newborn. She participated each time he needed to be fed and change, and she was almost always here when he cried, sometimes rocking him herself when her father, uncle or brother allowed her.

During the second week they went to the ceremony organised for every lives taken by the Kyuubi during its attack. It was the first time Damaru went out of the house since the Kyuubi disaster, but her grief hadn't impeded on her capacities to observe and analyse.

She noticed perfectly as people stepped away from them. She saw them glaring heatedly at the bundle in Kakashi's arms before either her brother, father or uncle glared back, making them falter and turn away.

The ceremony proceeded. Damaru deposited her flower when it was her turn before quickly walking back to her family, trying to ignore the glares thrown her way, as if everything was her fault.

The way back was tense, the adults forming a protective barrier around the children. Though it didn't stop the glares, it did stop the few rocks thrown from time to time.

Damaru observed all of that in silence. But when they got home, and Naruto was safely tucked in his crib, she sat with the adults in the living room before asking:

"Why is Naruto so hated?"

They all looked at her, and she saw how tired they were.

If her father was on short leave to grieve his wife, her uncle and brother weren't.

She also saw a cold anger, burning profound in their eyes.

She turned curious eyes toward her father who let a barely audible sigh before looking at her so seriously it made the girl tense in anticipation.

"You have to understand." He said slowly, looking dead into her eyes "That what I'm about to reveal is an absolute secret you cannot divulge to no one, under any circumstances. Doing so means death. It's the third's law. But I was given permission to reveal it to you once I deemed you ready. You're ready."

Damaru nodded slowly, seriously, not looking much like a five years old right now.

"When the Kyuubi attacked." Her father explained "There was no way to kill him. You cannot kill a tailed beast. But there're ways to imprison him into human beings, babies to be exact."

"There was one baby that was born this day." Sakumo continued "And the fourth decided to use this newborn, sealing the nine tails inside of it and dying in the process."

"After the attack." Daichi said "A council was held to decide what would happen to this newborn. The civilians elders wanted him dead. In their minds he was the kyuubi who slaughtered their loved ones and wanted justice. A lot of influential clans wanted to adopt him, seeking the power of a junchuriki for their own. The Hokkage couldn't let that happen but couldn't show favouritism and take the boy in."

"This is where your father intervened." Kakashi added with a smirk "He used some far stretched reasons and adopted Naruto, much to everyone's exasperation."

Damaru looked longly at her father before asking:

"So Naruto-chan is the container of the kyuubi?"

The adults nodded

"And the civilians want him dead?"

Nods once again.

"And the shinobi clans want the Kyuubi's power?"

"Yes." Answered her father.

"What would have happened to Naruto if you didn't adopt him?"

"He would have probably been put in a civilian orphanage." Said distastefully Kakashi.

Damaru was silent for a while before calmly nodding. She kissed the adults goodnight and retired for the night.

They said nothing, accustomed to the girl's behaviour. They knew Damaru liked to thoroughly think of the pros and cons before making a decision.

"I'll take the first quarter." Daichi proposed after watching his daughter climb upstairs "You can go rest."

"I'll check the traps one last time." Sakumo replied, patting his son on his head as a goodnight gesture "If those bastards try to kill Naruto again, this time they'll get a surprise." He disappeared swiftly in a puff of smoke.

Kakashi sighed and went to bed for a well-deserved rest, evenifI it was only a couple of hours.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daichi was in bed, reading, when he heard the soft patter of his daughter's feet nearing the door.

"Enter." He said when she knocked. The door opened and his little girl appeared, holding her stuffed dog plushie protectively against her chest.

"What is it princess?" asked the man as the child entered to sit beside him on the bed.

She looked up to him with serious golden green eyes before asking:

"Daddy, why did you become a shinobi?"

Daichi gazed down at his daughter before asking back:

"I suppose you asked Kakashi before?"

Damaru nodded before answering:

"He said that first he became a ninja because he wanted to make his father proud, and after to protect his loved ones and to prove that his father was right, though I still don't understand the last part."

Daichi nodded, knowing what happened to Sakumo. He took his daughter in his laps before answering.

"At first." He explained "I didn't want to become a ninja but my parents forced me. We were Senjus, one of the strongest clans Konoha had. I couldn't not be a ninja. So I became guenin, then chuunin, exasperating my parent with the slowness of my progresses. Then I met your mother."

He smirked, bordering on a chuckle.

"It was love at first sight. At least for me. Atalia found me stupid and clumsy. She didn't take well the fact that I didn't care about my ninja carrier. She herself had struggled for years with her family and against the society to become a kunoichi."

"Why was she fighting against society?"

"At that time people though that a woman's place was at home, raising children. But your mother wanted to prove she could be as strong as Tsunade and worked hard to achieve her place as a jonin. This was why she looked down to someone as lazy as me."

He smirked as his daughter giggled, the first happy sound she had made since her mother died.

"So I began training and work my ass off, making jonin in a few months, much to my parents' pride. I managed to impress Atalia."

"So you became a ninja because you were forced and then to impress mom?" said doubtfully Damaru, frowning.

"At first yes." Laughed lightly Daichi "Then there was the third ninja war, and I realised that as a ninja I had the power to protect my family and friends. I'm still doing it and there is no stronger drive than that."

Damaru nodded slowy before kissing her father's cheek and returning to her bedroom.

She didn't stay in her father's bed, and Daichi didn't a cry through the whole night, except Naruto's.

Morning came, and when Damaru went downstairs to take her breakfast, she found her father waiting for her.

Daichi looked at his daughter and instinctively knew she had taken a decision.

"Father." she announced as gravely as a five years old could "I want to be a ninja."

Daichi said nothing, just nodded his understanding.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The clock on the wall of the living room ticked the seconds loudly.

A thick book was on the low table, open to page 10 which was describing how the village of Konoha was created by Tobirama and Hashirama of the Senju clan, as well as Madara of the Uchiha clan.

When Damaru told her father she wanted to become a ninja, the man told her that the first step was to acquire strong bases. If the base was weak, then the building she would built later would collapse.

So here she was, buried in an encyclopaedia narrating the creation, history and current state of Konoha, taken from the quite furnished basement library her father slowly accumulated over the years.

She was taking careful notes on a paper beside the book, baby Naruto sleeping peacefully beside her on a cover.

She knew the adults would scold her later, but she couldn't help it.

The silence was overbearing.

She was accustomed to her father, uncle and brother going on missions for a long length of time, and she was always happy to greet them back.

But usually her mother was with her to wait for them.

While waiting they would go shopping, trying on silly things. Then her mother would attempt to cook, before destroying another pan and taking her daughter out to eat whatever she wanted.

They would play together, and her father often entered through the door to be greeted with laughters followed shortly by hugs.

This would never happen again.

Damaru was shooked out of her depressing thoughts when Naruto decided to wake up.

Hearing his famished cries, she turned to see the barely two weeks old wriggling slightly on his cover.

"Coming right away Naru-chan." Reassured futilely the girl, leaping up to the kitchen.

Knowing the five years old (even as mature as she was) would be taking care of a baby alone most of the time (the council childishly refused to allow Daichi his leave to take care of the baby as petty revenge), Daichi and Sakumo thoughts of ways to ease Damaru's job.

They knew no guenin team would accept to babysit the children, and if forced they wouldn't do it properly.

This was why they made sure Damaru had almost nothing to do to prepare Naruto's milk.

She took a little vial containing her father's blood and unrolled a few little scrolls on the table.

She dropped a drop of blood on the first one and a sterilised bottle appeared.

The second one gave her the exact amount of water needed at the perfect temperature that Damaru put in the bottle.

She put three spoons of powdered first month milk and shaked before tasting the milk on her wrist, just like her father showed her.

She was satisfied with the temperature and ran back to the living room where a screaming baby was still waiting.

She cradled the little body carefully and gave him the tit, tilting it slightly like she saw her father and uncle do.

The baby finished his bottle in record time, a characteristic they quickly discovered, and Damaru switched him upright to burp him.

She didn't have to wait long for his burp, but when she felt wetness on her shoulder she grimaced and realised she had forgotten to put a towel on her shoulder.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Daddy!" Damaru exclaimed, running to her father, arms reaching out to him.

Daichi caught her and brought her in his arms.

"Sakumo and Kakashi aren't here yet?" The little girl asked curiously.

"Sorry princess." Her father replied "They're on a mission and will not return until next week. So you prefer Sakumo and Kakashi to your old father?"

"Silly daddy!"Damaru puffed, patting his head after seeing him pout.

Daichi chuckled before asking:

"How is Naruto?"

"He's sleeping." Damaru replied helpfully, pointing upstairs.

"Alright." Daichi nodded "How about I teach you how to make a good curry?"

"Really?" Damaru asked eagerly. She loved it when her father was teaching her something new to cook. He was a real cordon bleu.

They went into the kitchen and Damaru helped her father get out all the ingredients.

"So?" Daichi asked "Where are you in your studies?"

"I almost finished Konoha's history." His daughter answered proudly "I never knew that the village was famous for its medicine and primary resources, though it's logic. We live in a huge forest after all."

"Hn." Her father nodded "Do you have any questions?"

Damaru was silent for a moment. Daichi wasn't perturbed in the slightest, knowing his daughter was simply scanning everything she had learned to put up a list of questions. He simply continued to cut the beef and vegetables.

"Actually, I have one." Damaru said after she put the rice into the cooking device "I didn't quite understand what the will of fire is. They always talk about it in the book, but they never give a clear explanation."

Daichi smiled before thinking carefully. He couldn't give his daughter preconceived ideas. Damaru had to forge her own opinions.

"The will of fire is a way of life, introduced to the village by the Senju clan when Konoha was created. Basically it means that love is the key to peace. But a lot of ninjas have their own perception of this will."

"How so?"

"Well, the will of fire was created to give ninjas hope and strength, even in the darkest moments. Each find his own interpretation to draw their courage from it."

"It's a bit clearer now." Damaru admitted after hearing her father's explanation "But I'm still a bit confused. If the definitions are so varied, how am I supposed to do when I'll become a ninja?"

"Then think like this." Daichi helped "What would push you to fight, even if everything seems lost?"

After that Damaru was silent.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Where are we going?" Damaru asked curiously.

She was following Kakashi and Sakumo, trying to ignore the glares and stares.

"At the hospital." Sakumo replied while Kakashi readjusted Naruto in his arms "Naruto's check-up is long overdue."

Damaru blinked but said nothing else.

They entered the hospital and walked to the entrance desk.

"We're here for the check-up of Naruto Uzumaki." Sakumo said casually.

The reaction of the nurses behind the desk was immediate.

"We do not treat demons." The first one sneered, looking distastefully at the bundle in Kakashi's arm

"You aren't welcomed here." The second snapped, glaring at them "I'll ask you to go."

Damaru knew what might happen the moment she saw Sakumo thin his lips and narrow his eyes.

The room's temperature dropped suddenly and everyone couldn't help but shudder.

Ill intent filled the room and Naruto woke up to cry, soon soothed by Kakashi.

Damaru gripped Kakashi's pants and observed as Sakumo fixed a hard gaze on the nurses, who audibly gulped, obviously afraid.

The man opened his mouth.

"What is going on here?"

"Rin-sama!" One of the nurses exclaimed. They both bowed as a woman appeared at the entrance desk.

"Kakashi-kun!" she greeted with a smile as she recognised the 20 years old man and his father "Hatake-san, how nice to see you. It's been a while."

She had long thin brown hairs tied in a loose ponytail and kind black eyes. Her face was pale and her body thin and svelte. She had two rectangular purple marks on her cheeks.

"Rin." Kakashi said more soberly.

Damaru blinked and looked up at her brother figure. He seemed…how to say it…more reserved suddenly. He seemed to have retreated in a shell and closed it.

"Nohara-san." Sakumo greeted back cordially "I didn't know you were back in Konoha."

"I came back approximately two days ago." Smiled Rin "I was called in urgency as a medic nin and a valid ninja to help rebuild Konoha and heal. Sorry Kakashi I didn't have a single moment to myself since then. If I had I would have contacted you."

"I understand." The masked man replied.

Then the young woman noticed the bundle in Kakashi's arms.

"Is it…?" she asked, walking closer to take a look.

"His check-up is long overdue." Explained Sakumo as the woman lifted up the new born in her own arms.

"I'll do it." Rin nodded, turning around and walking down a corridor, followed by the little family.

"But Rin-sama!" One of the nurses exclaimed.

"Shut up!" Rin retorted harshly, not even looking back "You should be ashamed to refuse to heal when you have taken an oath!"

The nurses couldn't add anything else as they disappeared around a corner.

**Don't hesitate to review! Until next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

"He is a lively little chap." Rin congratulated as she put the wriggling baby on the examination table "That's always a good sign."

"He's always restless." Damaru provided, putting herself on her tiptoes to be at the table's level "Even when he sleeps."

"Really?" Rin frowned, measuring the blond baby "That can be dangerous if he moves too much during his sleep."

"He moves a lot during sleep but just his arms and legs." Damaru replied.

Rin, after finishing taking measures and noting them on a paper, took Naruto to a scale and took his weight.

"He is a bit over the rate." She indicated "You should put less baby milk powder in his bottle. How many spoons do you use usually?"

"Three." Said Sakumo.

"You should only use two now." Rin replied, taking the baby off the scale and picking up a stethoscope.

She put the baby back on the examination table and put the tool on.

"How is the little one sleeping?" she asked while putting the cap on the baby's tummy.

"Not a lot." Damaru answered "He's always sleeping a couple of hours. Then he wakes up for another couple of hours before falling back asleep again."

"How many hours does he sleep?" Rin asked, moving the cap over Naruto's heart, much to the newborn's displeasure who began crying.

Almost immediately Damaru took a little hand in hers and Naruto stopped crying, baby blue eyes opening to look at her.

The adults blinked, surprised, but didn't comment. Rin put the stethoscope away.

"Generally two hours, sometimes three." The little girl finally answered "He's awake usually for four hours, sometimes five."

"Naruto needs to sleep more." Rin said, beginning to check the newborn's eyes "It's not healthy for him to sleep so little."

"But he doesn't want to fall asleep." Damaru replied.

"You have to find a trick." Rin provide helpfully "It takes some time but I'm sure you'll find a way to make the little one fall asleep. How much does eat?"

"More or less 7 ounces." Damaru answered "Sometimes more."

"That's an awful lot for a newborn!" Rin exclaimed, abandoning the baby's ears to check his tummy "But I don't see anything wrong with his digestion system. How can he take all that milk down?"

Finding nothing, she gave up and concentrated on measuring the baby's cranium, still taking notes.

"Has he made any cooing sounds?"

"No."

Rin moved from the head to the navel.

"Is he fussy in the evening? Or at night?"

"Not especially." Damaru frowned "He only cries when he's hungry or when his diaper is soiled."

"Does he have tummy times?"

"Almost every time I put him down. He's almost standing on all fours now."

"Really?" Rin blinked in surprise "Usually it take a couple of months to make significant progresses."

Kakashi and Sakumo looked at each other, feeling a bit useless.

"I feel a bit guilty." The younger one admitted "We should have passed more time with Naruto."

"You shouldn't." His father reassured him "We're ninja, high ranked ones. We have to be always ready to answer a call. It's not always easy and the council is trying to drive us away from Naruto as much as possible. Daichi is in the same position."

Kakashi nodded and their conversation turned short when Naruto began to wail.

"There there." Rin said soothingly, taking away a used vaccine "It's finished, at least for this month."

"It's finished Naruto-chan, it's finished." Damaru added reassuringly, drying the baby's tears.

She caressed the humid cheeks, humming. Naruto's cries slowly died down.

Rin smiled discreetly at the strange connection between the two before writing a last phrase down her paper sheets.

"Alright, the check-up is finished for this month." She concluded, helping Damaru dress back Naruto "We'll schedule his second month check up with me so next time you'll be able to go immediately to my office."

The next check-up was scheduled quickly and they went back home, Naruto crying the whole way while extending his chubby arms to Damaru.

Once home Kakashi wisely told Damaru to sit before passing her the newborn, who almost immediately calmed once in the girl's arm.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Damaru was engrossed in an encyclopaedia of the shinobi world when she heard the door open.

She knew it wasn't the genin teams bringing the groceries or coming to clean. They always knocked.

She took a look to make sure Naruto was still sleeping before getting up and padding to the entrance.

"Daddy!" she exclaimed when she saw the man, running to him.

"Hey princess." Daichi smiled, taking is daughter into his arms "How are you?"

"I'm studying the ninja world in general." The white haired girl babbled on as they entered in the living room "Politic and economy are really complicated. I don't understand everything."

"You don't have to know everything." Her father reassured, sitting on the sofa "The bases will suffice for your missions. And after almost every ninjas go to the library and re-learn a bit. Now, I have a little something for you."

"Really? Really!" Damaru exclaimed happily, shifting on her father's laps "What is it?"

Daichi smirked before retrieving a pair of bracelets and another one for the ankles.

"Surprise!" Daichi smiled, handing them to her.

Damaru took them and observed them carefully.

The bracelets were silvery white, made of two bands intertwining together. The little girl noticed strange symbols each time the bands met.

The ankle bracelets were simple golden chains with little green pendants containing the same strange symbols.

"What are these?" she asked curiously, pointing to them.

"These are seals princess." Her father answered "The fuinjutsu is a difficult ninja art used by a few but offering multiple possibilities. These ones are weighing seals. For now I'll only partly activate one on each to add a little weight on your wrists and ankles. When you'll be accustomed I'll add a bit more until all the seals are fully activated."

He helped the little girl slip the bracelets on and activated partly one of the seals under Damaru's wondrous eyes.

The little girl felt the weight being added and tested it.

"It doesn't seem that heavy."

Daichi chuckled and patted her head.

"Wait until the end of the day." He chuckled "Now, if you or Naruto are in danger or if there's a need, you can slip these bracelets off and the weights will go away. I put my trust in you that you won't take them off simply because you're tired."

"You can count on me dad." His daughter replied confidently before they were interrupted by Naruto.

"It seems he's hungry again." Daichi said, getting up to pick up the newborn "Let's go prepare his milk."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Damaru yawned and looked up from her encyclopaedia.

She glanced at the clock, checking the hour, before glancing at Naruto who was chewing eagerly on a bright yellow foam ball.

"It's time for us to go to sleep." She instructed before taking the one month old into her arms.

She changed him, fed him and took him to her room where her father and brother had moved Naruto's crib.

It took several days and many headaches, but they finally found it was easier for the baby to fall asleep if someone was in the same room as him. It became even easier when they discovered that Damaru's singing made him fall asleep faster.

So she sat in the rocking chair her uncle Sakumo specially bought (after he threatened the vendor when it broke the first time) and sang lightly, softly.

"_Lay down your head, and I'll sing you a lullaby…"_

She finished the song and smiled down at an asleep Naruto (it was still the moments she preferred the most. He was so adorable asleep).

She climbed on the little stool and put Naruto in his bed, making sure he was confortable before joining her own futon.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"He's already teething!" Rin exclaimed, surprised as she observed the little white stump in Naruto's mouth "Extraordinary!"

"Yeah extraordinary." Damaru replied sarcastically "He also extraordinarily kept me awake most of the night for three whole days."

"His tooth popped out completely in three days!" Rin continued, only registering part of Damaru's phrase "Incredible."

The white haired little girl could only roll her eyes as the medic moved onto the baby's measurements.

"How are his sleeping and eating patterns?" the woman asked.

"We finally managed to make him sleep more during the night and less during the day. He still wakes up at night though and needs to sleep in the early afternoon." Damaru answered.

"Is he already moving around?" Rin asked again, checking Naruto's ears and eyes "Since last month he was already trying to stand."

"Yes." The white haired girl smiled proudly "He can perfectly sit, though he isn't crawling around yet."

"Well Naruto-kun is a perfectly healthy baby. Growing faster than any other baby but still perfectly healthy."

She neared a little rolling table and took the first syringe.

"Well." She sighed "I hope you're ready."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Here Naru-chan." Damaru tried "It's finished."

But the one month old continued to wail spectacularly.

Damaru, perched on her father's shoulders, was trying vainly to soothe the wailing baby.

Kakashi was silently walking behind the three.

He blinked out of his thoughts when Daichi stopped, turning to him with a serious look.

"…What?" he asked.

"Go and ask her." The man simply said.

Kakashi blinked, followed by Damaru.

Daichi sighed at the young man's cluelessness.

"You want to go ask young Rin out, no?" he added helpfully "Go. Or you'll miss your chance."

Kakashi froze, hesitant. Daichi sighed before pushing him back toward the examination room.

The man hesitated, his left foot in the air, before beginning to slowly walk to it.

He opened the door and disappeared inside.

"Daddy?" Damaru asked curiously over Naruto's wails "Where is Kakashi-nii going?"

"Don't worry princess." Daichi chuckled "Nothing you have to worry about."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Someone knocked on the door. Damaru looked up from her book on chakra theory and got up to open.

"We're the genin team charged to clean." A boy with short brown hair said.

Behind him were another boy and a girl. They all looked as if they wanted to be anywhere but here.

"Okay, please come in." The little girl replied politely, opening the door wider.

They came in, avoiding the little cover Naruto was sleeping on with a wide arc, much to Damaru's annoyance.

The little girl showed them where the cleaning supplies where before returning to her book, just in time to see Naruto wake up.

"Hello little sunshine." She smiled, baby blue eyes immediately focusing on her "How are you?"

The baby smiled back wildly, laughing before gurgling incoherent words, his arms extended to her.

Damaru smiled more before taking him into her arms and putting him in the little park Kakashi bought recently for him.

The little boy began immediately to wiggle, rolling on his tummy before getting up on fours and crawling around, exploring his environment.

Damaru disappeared in the kitchen to prepare Naruto's milk. The baby noticed when she came back and crawled to her immediately, sitting and extending his arms toward her with a wide smile.

"Yes, yes, you'll get your milk." Damaru smiled, taking him in her arms before sitting down and bringing the tit near his mouth.

Naruto finished in record time and Damaru burped him before cleaning the drool coming out of his mouth (and little Naruto was drooling a lot).

She put him back in his park before returning to her book.

Two hours later the genin team returned in the living room.

"We finished." The boy with brown hair said tiredly.

Damaru, who was busy drying the once again drooling Naruto, looked up and smiled.

"Thank you, I'll get your payment."

She got up with Naruto in her arms and went in her father's study to take the money.

She came back and walked to the children.

At the sight of the blond baby, the girl gasped and moved back slightly. The brown haired boy narrowed his eyes distastefully and the other moved protectively in front of the girl.

Damaru didn't know what to make of it.

"Do you want some tea?" She nonetheless offered "I have also some cookies I made myself."

The boy in front of the girl seemed a bit interested, but the moment was broken when Naruto laughed suddenly, chubby arms extending to the team.

They all jumped back.

"S-Sorry we gotta go."

They all high-tailed out of the house and Damaru sighed sadly.

"Why can't they see you're adorable." She said, looking down at the baby in her arms.

Naruto smiled and began gurgling happy sounds.

Damaru smiled sadly:

"Well at least you can't understand, so you can't be hurt."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

**VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR NOTE!**

**I want to warn my readers that next week I'll be gone, and will only return the last week of august.**

**So sorry, but I won't be able to post another chapter until the end of august.**

**I wish you all good holidays, and don't hesitate to review!**

"So" Daichi said "Let's see how you mould your chakra."

His daughter nodded before making a single concentration hand sign.

Her father narrowed his eyes, carefully observing how his daughter's spiritual and physical energy met and mixed.

He noticed her spiritual energy was stronger than her physical one. But that was perfectly normal as she was untrained. And girls tended to be less physical than boys who usually had more physical energy.

Yet Damaru partook exact little amounts and mixed them really well. She only lost a bit of the energies during the moulding, but for a first try her results were near perfect.

"So?" His daughter asked eagerly, looking up expectantly at him.

"Excellent." Daichi smiled proudly, ruffling affectionately her hairs "Your chakra control promise to be extraordinary."

Damaru smiled wildly and asked:

"So, what's next?"

"Next." Her father answered "Is a little chakra exercise that will help perfect your chakra control. Later it will help you optimise the amount of chakra you use in your ninjutsu."

He took a leaf and put it on his forehead.

He concentrated his chakra and the leaf stayed stuck to his forehead.

"Woah." Damaru said in awe, climbing on her father's laps to take a closer look.

Daichi chuckled and took her off.

"All you have to do is concentrate your chakra on one point and make the leaf adhere to it. I want you to do this exercise until you can stick the leaf for one whole day. I want you to do it on your forehead, then on both hands, your stomach and both of your ankles."

He glanced at her wrists and ankles before adding:

"I see you have become accustomed to your weights."

"At the beginning it was hard." Damaru told him "But in the end I began to move around more easily."

"Then I'll add some more." Daichi decided, smirking when his daughter pouted "Come on princess, don't be like that. You knew it would happen one way or another."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

When Damaru opened her eyes and looked outside, she cried in delight when she saw the white blanketed trees through her window.

This woke up Naruto and he smiled immediately upon seeing his sister's face.

"Today I'm taking you outside." Damaru told him, smiling "There's something you need to see."

She brushed her hairs and tied them in a ponytail (Naruto absolutely loved taking them in his hands and tugging as hard as he could – which could be quite hard- into his mouth to dribble on them) and stuck a leaf on her right wrist before taking Naruto in her arms.

They went downstairs and Damaru put the blond baby in his park and gave him his toys before going in the kitchen.

She prepared Naruto's breakfast and fed him before rummaging in the kitchen for some milk and breakfast cereals (she preferred a more traditional breakfast with tamagoyaki, grilled fish, tea and rice, but her father refused to let her use the hot plate unsupervised).

She ate near Naruto's park, on the low table of the living room instead of the kitchen.

She got upstairs to quickly dress in warm clothes and downstairs again for Naruto's turn.

She changed him, dressed him warmly and put him in a little parka offered by Rin.

Once she was herself ready with her own parka, gloves and beanie, she opened the back screen to the little patio outside the house.

"Look Naruto." She said softly, sitting at the edge just in front of the white frozen water "This is called snow, the first of the year."

Baby blue eyes narrowed on the almost blinding white snow in front of him.

He extended the hand and grabbed a handful.

He jerked with a surprised cry when he felt the coldness of the substance.

Damaru laughed lightly before scooping a handful in her gloved hand and presenting it near the two months old.

Naruto hesitantly fingered it before realising it wouldn't bite him and splashing his hands against it, laughing merrily.

Damaru smiled and scooped another handful of snow for him to splash away. He (and by extend, her) was always cooped up inside, only getting outside for his check-ups. At this rate he would end up pale and weak.

They played approximately one hour before getting back inside, their cheeks pink and their hands cold.

Damaru changed him and put him in his park before preparing a warm milk bottle for Naruto and a hot chocolate for her.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"You seem tired." Rin observed worriedly, looking at Kakashi sitting in front of her.

They were in a nice little café near the hospital, in front of a hot tea.

"Sorry." The man apologized, jerking up slightly when he heard her voice "The Hokage increased the border patrols and half of the ANBUs are stuck with scouting missions at the borders while the other half are on recon missions in foreign countries. Apparently those who are hostiles to Konoha think us weak and defenceless since the Kyuubi's attack. How about your work at the hospital?"

"Most of the overpopulation we had during the first month is close to non-existent." Rin smiled, sighing I relief "Now the only ones left are the gravest cases and a few patients with broken bones."

There was a little silence before Rin asked timidly:

"Are you gonna be here at the winter market?"

"I'm sorry." Kakashi apologised "I'm on duty. I'll not be here."

"It's okay." The youn woman replied softly "I understand."

"But if you want." Kakashi proposed, an idea coming to mind "You can accompany Daichi-ojii, Damaru-chan and Naruto-chan. Damaru wants to see everything but her father can only take her for less than one hour since he has a mission on this day. And my dad and I will already on missions."

"It will be my pleasure." Rin smiled, happy to not be alone.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Daddy, Daddy!" Damaru begged happily, tugging on his ANBU uniform "Can I have cotton candy?"

"I already bought you churros." Daichi frowned, staring down sternly at his daughter.

"Pretty please." The white haired girl whined, pulling the 'puppy pout' power out to insure her victory (she really wanted that cotton candy).

Daichi twitched, and admitted his defeat.

"Alright." He sighed, getting out some money and giving it to her "A medium one, not bigger."

"Promise." His daughter smiled toothily before skipping off to the candy cotton vendor, relishing in her victory.

"I'll go with her." Rin proposed before following the little girl, holding back an amused smile.

Daichi observed her disappear within the crowd and readjusted Naruto in his arms.

"Daichi Senju." He heard someone said.

He looked up to see a black haired, black eyed man. Beside him was a little boy approximately his daughter's age presenting the same features. They were accompanied by a few elders and couples.

"Fugaku Uchiha." Daichi replied neutrally, recognising the man, and assuming the little boy was his son, Itachi Uchiha.

He eyed the little one more closely. He was not even seven and already some said he was a very promising ninja. He heard that he would graduate this year and become a guenin, and that his father planned for him to climb high in the ranks as soon as possible.

He really was sad for the poor kid.

"Itachi will be graduating this year." Fugaku said proudly when he noticed Daichi staring at the boy.

He put a proud hand on the stoic boy's head.

"It seems you also have a daughter." The Uchiha head noticed as the little girl came back with Rin.

Upon seeing the man, Damaru retreated behind Rin's legs, passing from happy and smiling to tense and silent.

Daichi sadly observed the results of the village's stupidity. Before Kyuubi's attack Damaru was a bright child, always laughing and babbling, outgoing and bright.

Now she was silent, timid, afraid and suspicious of everyone outside her family.

"Her name is Damaru Senju." Daichi replied "She's entering the academy next year."

"Hn." Fugaku only said back, looking up to him again.

He nodded his farewell and the whole little Uchiha herd turned and walked away.

The little boy, Itachi, turned one last time to look at Damaru who shied away.

Daichi turned thoughtful before noticing the time. He passed Naruto to Rin;

"I need to go now." He declared.

"So soon?" His daughter whined, looking at him with pleading eyes.

Daichi crouched down and kissed her cheek.

"Sorry princess." He said softly "Remember what I said?"

"Being ninja is a full time job." Damaru sighed "I know daddy. But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Love you dear." Her father added, kissing her forehead one last time before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"Come on." Rin said gently, taking her hand while readjusting Naruto in her arms.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Face scrunched up in concentration, Damaru tentatively put a foot on the water's surface.

True, the little river wasn't deep, but the water's temperature was freezing and she already had caught a cold once after falling in too much times.

But this time her foot stayed on the surface and she gathered enough courage to put the second foot.

It also stayed on the surface.

"Yeah!" Damaru exclaimed happily, jumping from one feet to another in joy "I did it! Did you see Naruto-chan?"

The little blond sunshine on her back gurgled happily, clapping his hands a few times.

"Couldn't have said it better." The white haired child agreed "Beware Konoha, because here I com…kya!"

Naruto laughed merrily as his sister's feet and legs plunged in the freezing cold water.

"And that makes you laugh?" Damaru grumbled, climbing once again on the water surface before stepping on the river's bank "What a brother you make."

Naruto gurgled.

Damaru sighed and was about to go grab a towel when she heard a familiar voice calling her name.

"Damaru!"

"Daddy!" The girl exclaimed happily, launching herself at her father who had appeared near the river "You came back in time!"

"Well." Daichi smirked "I promised you I would. So here I am. Why are your legs wet?"

"I was practising the water walking you taught me." Answered Damaru "And I had succeeded! But then I lost concentration and fell."

"That's mean you're almost there." Her father smiled proudly, taking her in his arms, mindful of Naruto on her back "Now come on, we still have a Christmas eve's dinner to prepare before Sakumo and Kakashi comes and wolf it down."

"Okay daddy."Damaru agreed, giggling.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Kakashi was peacefully sleeping in his bed, having a nice dream about a certain woman he liked, when a little figure bulleted in his bedroom to jump on his stomach.

"Nii-san, nii-san!" Damaru called excitedly "It's present time, present time!"

"Damaru?" groaned Kakashi, blinking blearily before looking at his alarm clock "But it's seven in the morning."

"But the presents!" The little girl whined, jumping on him with even more energy.

"Alright, alright." The young man relented, sighing in defeat "I'm up, I'm up."

Damaru smiled victoriously before sliding onto the ground and bulleting out of the room.

Kakashi considered falling back asleep, but he knew that his surrogate little sister wouldn't let him rest until the presents had all been opened.

So he yawned a big time before getting up, slowly dragging his feet downstairs.

His father and Daichi were already there, waiting for him.

"Took you long enough." His father smirked "Did a black cat cross your way?"

"No." Kakashi replied gruffly, sitting beside him "But a white haired girl did."

Damaru childishly poked her tongue out before choosing one present.

"This one is for you." She said to Kakashi, handing him a glittery paper covered box.

Kakashi opened it…only to close it immediately before glaring at his father and uncle (not by blood but still).

The two men only smirked and Sakumo patted his son's back.

"Trust me son." He said "You're gonna need that someday."

"What is it?" Damaru asked, climbing on Kakashi's laps "I want to see."

"Nothing you have to worry about." Sakumo replied hurriedly , taking her quickly from the man and to the floor "How about you continue distributing the presents?"

Damaru frowned in suspicion but nodded before busying herself with her mission. Kakashi continued to glare, internally swearing revenge and fighting a blush down at the same time.

If Rin one day found this box, he was sure he wouldn't see the sun rise the next day.

It took some time but eventually every presents got handed and opened. Apart from Kakashi's first present, they weren't really original. It was just new sets of shuriken, kunais or other weapons along with random ninja tools.

It didn't deter any of Damaru's enthusiasm when she got her first set of ninja tools for beginners (there were little shurikens, kunais and a book about how to handle them), books about strategizing, ninja laws and Rin even bought her a beginner first aid kit with a book on first aid.

Naruto got presents too (Damaru opened them for him). Mostly some clothes, toys and a baby carrier with its foldout little park for when Damaru brought him outside to train. Her father and uncle even added a few seals that would regulate the temperature in the park and protect the little one against rain, wind, and every sorts of climate.

Like that Damaru wouldn't worry about being out in the cold for hours with Naruto when she had to train.

"No princess." Daichi reacted when he saw his daughter about to burry herself in one of the books she received "No isolating yourself, you're gonna help me prepare breakfast."

"But daddy!" The little girl whined, looking back mournfully at her books.

"I'm gonna take a little nap." Kakashi decided, leaning back in the sofa "Wake me up when breakfast's ready."

"Well." Sakumo said, seeing his son already sleeping and his best friend arguing with his daughter "I guess it's just you and I Naruto. How about trying one of these new toys?"

Naruto gurgled happily before taking the little foam, bright blue triangle offered by the man directly into his mouth.

**And Itachi has finally appeared! It's a record he did so that late, seeing he's my favourite character. His role in this chapter his quite light I admit, but don't worry. He'll make his way to primary character soon enough.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

**I'M ALIVE! Sorry for the late update. I just came back. Read and enjoy! And of course don't hesitate to review.**

"Daddy." Damaru asked with a pout "Why do we have to go?"

"Because we can't refuse." Her father explained, adjusting his daughter's kimono.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Damaru had to admit she was pretty.

Thin gold strands, dark brown-oranges and light yellows were mixing with wisps of apricot orange. On the back was artistically woven a tree with dark brown branches and trunk full of light pink-white flowers that scattered on the shoulders and sleeves.

Her front hair were pulled back by a gold hairpin decorated with amber stones and braided (Rin helped her with that before going with Kakashi on their date).

Yes, it was beautiful, but she felt uncomfortable. The layers were tightly hugging her body and constraining her movements.

"I feel like a dressed up doll." She pouted, looking up at her father who was wearing a much freer traditional men haori and hakamas.

"It's just for tonight." The man reassured before leading her outside "Come on now it's time to go."

"Have a good evening." Sakumo said, bending down to kiss Damaru's cheek "You look like a princess."

"I prefer being a ninja." The little girl replied "At least the clothes aren't tight. Have a good evening Naru-chan."

The blond baby in Sakumo's arms gurgled and Damaru smiled before following her father outside, waving at her uncle and little brother.

They walked a bit before arriving at the huge Uchiha compound.

"Aren't we going to get lost?" Damaru worried, looking around.

"Don't worry princess." Daichi chuckled, taking her carefully (because of her outfit) in his arms "I know the way."

Indeed five minutes later they were in front of the reception ballroom's door.

Daichi knocked and a servant opened.

"Please come in." he said, letting them enter "The reception is right ahead. The children's room is on your right.

Daichi nodded before entering the huge room.

Almost the whole Uchiha clan was there. Damaru recognised a few Hyuugas and other clans like the Akimichis, the Naras or the Yamanakas.

"Daddy." She pleaded, seeing all those eyes turning to them "Can we go home?"

"Sorry princess." Her father replied, putting her down "You'll have to bear with it."

"Daichi Senju." Fugaku Uchiha greeted formally, nearing them.

"Uchiha." Daichi replied "Thank you again for your invitation."

"Hn." The black haired man nodded before motioning a door to their right "The children area is there. Servants and maids will take care of them."

Daichi nodded wordlessly before pushing his daughter toward the door.

He opened it to see a light, spacious room with games for the little ones and an area full of pillows for the older ones.

Several of the children here were Uchihas, though Damaru noticed a few Hyuugas, one or two Yamanaka girls and one Nara boy.

"Daddy." She tried one last time, looking up to her father.

"Listen princess." Daichi replied, crouching down at her level "You're strong and I know you can do it. Don't bother with the ones who will try to bring you down and if you don't find someone friendly then you're gonna be courageous and take it like a woman."

"I'm not a woman yet." His daughter protested.

"Being a woman is more a set of mind than a physical thing."Daichi chuckled, kissing her cheek "Now go."

Damaru sighed and stepped away from him, letting the man return in the main room.

She gulped discreetly when they all turned to her, observing her.

Then they began to discuss in hushed voices. Many of the girls snickered and looked at her critically. The boys huffed before returning to their games, paying her no intention (which she was thankful for. The girls were more than enough).

Carefully she began making her way through the room to the large window on the other side.

The children parted, half muttered words like 'demon', 'dangerous' and 'freaky white hairs' making their way to her ears.

She held her head high and paid no attention, sitting down against the window, looking up to observe the stars and the moon.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

Damaru turned sharply her head to see a boy approximately her age with dark hairs and eyes. She remembered seeing him in the Christmas market.

He didn't seem mean or anything, but over those three months Damaru had learned to be cautious.

"Yes." She replied shortly.

The boy didn't seem to be put off by her reluctance and smiled, holding out a hand.

"My name is Itachi. What's yours?"

Tentatively, Damaru's hand reached for his and shooked it briefly.

"Damaru."

"Nice name."

There was a little silence. Itachi didn't seem perturbed and sat beside her.

"So your father took in this baby, Naruto is it?"

At this question, Damaru tensed and threw a hard look at him.

"Yes." She defensively said "Is that a problem for you?"

"Oh no! Not at all." Itachi smiled sheepishly "It's just that I too have a little brother."

At this affirmation the little girl relaxed slightly.

"Really?" she asked "How old is he?"

"Four months, almost five." Itachi answered "Do you want to see him?"

"But we can't leave the room." Damaru frowned, confused.

"Don't worry about that." Assured Itachi, taking her hand "Come on."

Damaru tensed, but reasoned that until now he didn't say nor did anything mean to her, so she decided to follow him without resistance.

They exited the building and walked into the dark, empty streets to a two story house.

They entered and went upstairs. There Itachi opened a door that led them in a room housing a crib.

"Young master." A young woman greeted, bowing.

"Can you leave us alone a bit please?" The boy asked politely, still not letting go of Damaru's hand.

The woman bowed again before exiting the room. The children neared the crib to see a black haired baby sleeping soundlessly.

"He's cute." Damaru said, smiling down at the little one "What's his name?"

"Sasuke." Itachi answered, smiling down at his little brother too.

They stayed a bit before deciding to return to the party.

On the way back they began to talk, Damaru opening a bit more.

Itachi told her how was the academy, how weird it was to be surrounded by people way older than you and not as talented as him.

"They don't like you simply because you're stronger than them?" Damaru frowned "It's stupid."

They entered the room full of children and sat on pillows in a quiet corner.

Itachi smiled sadly but didn't reply. Damaru understood it was a sensible subject and tried something else.

"So, what are your specialities?"

"I like genjutsu." The boy replied "And fire jutsus."

"You know one?" Damaru asked eagerly.

"Yeah." Itachi replied smugly.

"Cool." The little girl agreed "Do you think you can show me? Daddy says I'm still too young and untrained to do ninjutsu, but he didn't say I couldn't watch someone do it."

"You're also training to be a ninja?" Itachi asked.

"Yep." Damaru answered "First I had to learn how the village was made, and how the elemental countries work and all. Then daddy made me learn chakra theory and made me work on chakra control. That's pretty much all, apart from the fact that he makes me wear weighing seals."

"Can I see them?"

Damaru showed him her bracelets.

"That's pretty cool." Itachi said once he had examined them "How did your dad do them?"

"I don't know anything apart from the fact that they are weighing seals. Sorry"

"It's okay. It's good you're beginning with chakra control. I heard even jonins have problem with that."

"And dad offered me a beginner's set of shurikens and kunais for Christmas." Damaru added eagerly "I can't wait to begin training with them!"

They were interrupted when a woman announced dinner.

For the rest of the evening, Itachi and Damaru stayed together, much to the young boy's fangirls dismay.

They talked and talked, mainly about jutsus and ninja techniques, but also about their respective little brothers.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"I think Naruto-kun is ready for solid food." Rin declared, tickling the little four months old baby who giggled.

"Really?" Damaru said "What can we give him?"

"Not much at this point." Rin instructed "You can began with iron fortified rice cereals made especially for infants. You can mix it with the milk formula but the result can't be more thick than normal milk. During the day when he's more aware you can try with a spoon, but I can't guarantee results."

"We'll buy it on our way back." Daichi nodded from his sit beside Sakumo.

"Alright." Rin sighed, once again nearing a trey and taking a needle "Vaccin time."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

Damaru stared intently at the two targets in front of her before throwing her kunais.

They both landed a bit outside the inner ring.

"Well." the little girl mused out loud, looking aside to her little brother "That was better than last time don't you think?"

The blond baby gurgled in response.

"Your wrist movement is a bit off."

Damaru turned sharply and smiled, recognising the boy.

"Itachi-san." She said, putting down the kunais she wanted to throw "Your classes are already finished?"

"Hai. I was passing by on my way to the training grounds. I never knew there was one here."

"These are the training grounds reserved for my family." Damaru provided helpfully "Usually when my father, uncle and brother train, they activate protections so that no one can enter. But since I'm just training with the bases, I can come and train here without activating them."

"I see." Itachi nodded before noticing the blond baby looking at them from his little park "Is this…?"

"Naruto, my little brother." Damaru finished, walking over the baby and taking him in her arms.

"He's cute." Itachi smiled, walking to them and putting his hand near the four months old.

Almost immediately his fingers where snatched away into the baby's mouth.

"He's really aware for a four months old." Itachi congratulated "Even Sasuke isn't that swift."

"He's a bit precocious." Damaru nodded, putting him back in his park "So you said my wrist movement was off?"

"Yes." Itachi approved "How about this? I help you with your throwing and you teach me how to water walk."

"Can you also show me your fire jutsu?"

"If you want." Itachi smiled.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"Gotcha!" Daichi smirked, catching his daughter as she tried to leap on him from behind.

"Mou." Damaru pouted "What did I do this time?"

"Your footing was slightly better, but you have a long way to go. And you still breathe like a herd of buffalo." The man chuckled when is daughter glared at him "Come on, we'll meditate to smooth out your breathing."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

All senses on high alert, Damaru struggled to follow the chakra trail.

It was taking all her concentration, but she was almost sure…

"Found you!" she exclaimed, moving apart bushes…

To find nothing.

She frowned, but had no time to think on it as she was suddenly lifted from the ground.

She looked up to see her smirking father and gulped.

Daichi smirked wider before tickling her mercilessly.

"No ah ah no! Stop." The white haired girl pleaded between giggles "Ah ah please!"

"Lesson number two princess." Daichi said "A ninja can hide his chakra and lead you on a false trail."

"That's cheating!" Damaru pouted, wiggling out of her father's embrace.

"That's the ninja way princess." Her father smiled before looking up to the darkening sky "We should go home. It's getting late."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

Someone knocked on the door and Damaru looked up from her book, frowning slightly.

It couldn't be her family. Her father wouldn't be back until three more days and her uncle and older brother had just departed for a week long mission.

She got up and went to open the door.

"Itachi-san?" she asked curiously, seeing the boy, before noticing the bundle in his arms "And Sasuke-chan?"

"Sorry if I'm disturbing you." The boy apologized sheepishly "But I have some free time and Sasuke is never out, nor playing with others. I thought it would be good if he had a playmate."

"That's a good idea." Damaru nodded, opening the door further "Naruto hasn't met other babies yet. It would be good for him to socialize a bit."

"Thank you." Itachi smiled gratefully, entering.

"Naruto is in there." Damaru said once she had helped him out of his cloak, pointing to the park.

She walked to it and picked the blond baby in her arms.

"Look Naru-chan." she said, putting him near little Sasuke "This is Sasuke."

The two babies looked at each other before Naruto tentatively reached for Sasuke's face with his hands.

Immediately Sasuke tilted his head backwards and slapped the offending hands away.

Naruto frowned before beginning to cry, followed by Sasuke. Soon the two began a wailing competition.

"Well." Damaru managed to say over the cries "This isn't that bad."

"If you say so." Itachi replied, struggling to sooth his little brother.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six

**A big thank to Sukki18 for her reviews! It always boost me to write! =) **

**Read, enjoy and don't hesitate to leave a review!**

"Finally." Damaru sighed, flopping down on the sofa beside Itachi.

"They seem to behave." Itachi noted, observing the two babies in the park, playing silently with Naruto's toys "For now at least."

"Don't talk about bad luck." Damaru warned "Do you want something to drink?"

"Do you have juice?"

"I think I have orange juice."

"That will do."

Damaru disappeared in the kitchen and Itachi took the opportunity to observe his surroundings.

The living room was simple but cosy, with a parquetted ground, light warm yellow walls and dark wooden furniture. The sofas where comfortably settle on a deep soft carpet around a low table, in front of a hearth.

"Do you want muffins?" Damaru asked from the kitchen.

"Yes, thank you." Itachi replied, looking back at Sasuke and Naruto who were still silently playing, each at a side of the park.

It wasn't much, but for Itachi it was still a step forward. Usually Sasuke refused to leave his arms and shied away whenever someone else neared him.

Including their father.

Itachi sighed discreetly, but quickly hide it when Damaru came back, carrying a full plate of muffins with glasses and juice.

"Here." She said, putting it on the low table "Do you prefer a chocolate or vanilla muffin?"

"Chocolate please."

Damaru passed him what he wanted and they sat around the low table, speaking about everything and nothing.

"So where are you in your training?" Itachi asked while drinking some juice.

"I'm really good at chakra control now." Damaru smiled proudly "I can water walk without effort, for a while at least. And I'm improving with tree walking, though I can't do it a lot because one member of my family needs to be with me in case I fall. And I'm also working on directing chakra into my arms and legs."

"The plate indeed seemed heavy." Itachi noted.

"You noticed." Damaru smiled "I'm not that good yet but I'm just beginning. And dad is also teaching me how to sense chakra. He says that when I get that done he's gonna teach me how to supress my chakra."

"I see. And how are you with your throwing?"

"I can throw ten kunais at a time." Damaru replied proudly "They aren't all in the bullet point but I'm still working on it. And Kakashi-nii promised to show me a technique with a shuriken and a wire. He said that usually ninjas use two giant shurikens but apparently I'm still too young. What about you?"

"I just learned a new jutsu today. It's called bushin. Do you want to see it?"

"Can I?"Damaru asked eagerly.

Itachi smiled and was about to answer positively when they were disturbed by two wails.

They turned to see Naruto and Sasuke in tears, a ripped plushie between them.

The two children looked at each other before sighing in unison and getting up to walk to their respective little brother.

"Really." Damaru sighed, picking up Naruto and rocking him slightly "What's gotten into them."

"It seems they wanted the same toy." Itachi said, picking up Sasuke "Sorry about that. I can buy a new one if you want."

"No it's okay." Damaru replied, shooking her head "I can sew it back together. It's still salvageable."

Itachi nodded before looking at the clock against the wall.

"I need to get back." He said "I have to do my homeworks."

"Alright." Damaru nodded, putting Naruto back in his park and disappearing in the kitchen "Just wait a few seconds."

Itachi blinked but shrugged it off before busying himself with putting on his cloak and shoes on.

He was just finishing putting Sasuke in his warm coat when Damaru came back with a little parcel.

"Here." She said, giving it to him "It's some muffins for you."

"Thanks" Itachi smiled, taking them "I guess I'll see you later?"

"Yes." Damaru agreed, opening the door "Later."

"Later." Itachi said before getting out.

Damaru closed the door behind him and returned to Naruto's park.

She took the ripped plushie away from the baby.

"You know Naruto." She admonished gently "It's bad to not share."

Her answer was a gurgle of incoherent syllables.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

Rin splashed water over her face and sighed in relief as the cool water hit her heated face.

Today had been a real pain. Two surgeries and one that wasn't scheduled when a chuunin team came in gravely injured.

That, added with a few very difficult patients, made the day long, nearing torture during the last couple of hours.

But finally it was the end of her shift. She couldn't wait to go home, shower and sleep.

She quickly changed and got out of the changing room.

She had almost reaching the entrance when she passed two nurses who looked strangely flushed.

They noticed her and began giggling like crazies, walking faster.

Rin stopped, looking at the retreating, giggling girls, and blinked confusedly.

She frowned in confusion before shrugging it off and walking the last meters to the entrance.

She was surprised to see a grey haired man waiting for her near the nurse counter.

"Kakashi?" she asked curiously, walking to him.

"Hn." The man simply replied and Rin tilted her head to the side. Her boyfriend really seemed…should she say nervous?

"Kakashi?" She asked again in a softer tone.

"I…" The man tried clumsily "I…"

Rin raised an eyebrow in wonder, but understood when she heard the discreet giggle of the nurses around them. Even the patients were looking shamelessly at them.

Rin threw them a glare before taking Kakashi's hand.

"Come." She said, tugging him along "We'll be more comfortable outside to speak."

She led him to a quiet corner a bit out of the way.

"What is it?" she asked curiously once she was sure they were alone "You seem tense."

"It's just that…" The man struggled "I…"

He stopped and sighed deeply before making a chocolate box and a bouquet of flower appear in his hands.

"Happy valentine." He said, looking everywhere but at her "It's not much, nor it is original, but.."

He was cut when Rin kissed him deeply, passing her arms around his neck.

More reacting than thinking, he surrounded her frame and kissed her back.

"Thank you." The woman smiled once they separated "That made my day."

Her tone turned suggestive:

"How about you walk me to my apartment. I'd like to give you your valentine presents too."

"It will be my pleasure milady." Kakashi smirked, surrounding her waist with his arm and shunshining them away.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"They're really making progresses." Damaru noted, waving an orange triangle in front of Naruto who was clumsily trying to reach it with his hands.

"At least they aren't fighting anymore." Itachi agreed, waving a little blue plushie in front of Sasuke.

Naruto made a happy sound as he finally grabbed the triangle and stuffed it in his mouth.

"I'm glad Sasuke is socialising a bit." Itachi said, relenting the plushie to Sasuke who began happily dribbling on it.

"Naruto seems more open too." Damaru smiled, tickling the baby who giggled.

Sasuke stopped chewing a few seconds to observe curiously the wriggling, laughing baby, before deciding he wasn't interested and returned to his chewing.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"I think you're ready for taijutsu training." Daichi announced, observing his daughter's wrists and ankles where all the weigh seals were activated.

"Really!" Damaru exclaimed excitedly, jumping up and down before latching onto his neck "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Calm down princess." Her father laughed "Taijutsu training is hard and long. It will be difficult."

"I know." Damaru Replied more seriously "But it still means I'm improving. Soon I'll be as strong as you dad!"

Daichi chuckled and patted her head affectionately.

"Now." He said, getting serious "There's a lot of taijutsu styles, each different and fitting different persons. Usually people have to search a bit before finding their own taijutsu style. And this is why I won't teach you any of them."

"How much are there?" Damaru questioned curiously.

"Well, for example." Her father answered "There's the strong fist taijutsu style relying on strength and brute force to deal devastating, fast blows on the physical level. On the contrary there's also the gentle fist style, more concentrated on using its opponent's strength against himself and dealing 'softer' blows that have no impact outwardly, but a huge one externally. Tsunade Senju also had developed a taijutsu based on a monstrous strength due to sipping exact amounts of chakra in her limbs to strengthen her blows to the point that she can crush a mountain. And don't forget that taijutsu style can be paired with weapons, elemental techniques and various other things that complement and strengthen them."

"I see." Damaru replied slowly "So I have to find my own style."

"At the academy they will teach you some bases, but yes." Her father nodded "However there're some things I can teach you that are universal and will be useful, even if you don't incorporate them in your taijutsu."

"Like what?" Damaru asked.

"For example" Daichi answered "Dodging."

"Dodging?"

"Dodging." The man nodded "When in mission, you'll be confronted with enemies you know nothing about. It's a very dangerous situation. So you'll have to determine their strengths and weaknesses as quickly as possible. The thing is that your opponent won't wait for you to decipher them and probably attack. This is why dodging is important."

"…I see." Damaru said "So? What are we going to do?"

"Well." Her father replied, taking out balls from a bag "Simple. I'm going to throw these balls at you and you'll have to dodge. And after that we'll work on building up your speed and muscles."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"You seem tired." Itachi observed.

The boy was trying to walk on the water of the little river none too far from Damaru's house.

Said girl was sitting on the ground, abandoning her training with the shuriken trick that Kakashi had showed her.

"I am." She replied "Dad began my taijutsu training."

"Oh." The boy grimaced, sympathising…before losing his concentration and falling in the water.

Damaru giggled discreetly before walking up to the boy, hauling him up.

"This technique seems to be difficult for you." She noted, helping him walk to the banks without sinking.

"I don't have big chakra reserve." Itachi explained, sitting down and accepting a water bottle from her "And endurance is not my thing. At all."

"I'm sure you'll work it out." Damaru encouraged, optimist as always "Let's stay positive."

"Hn, anyway." Itachi sighed "You said your father had begun your taijutsu training? I remember mine working me to death. I can emphasise."

"Yeah mine makes me dodge balls and such, do push up and other things like that before basically telling me to run until I collapse. The only good thing is that he took away my weighs and I won't have new ones for a while. Dad wants to concentrate on my speed now more than my strength."

"Hn." Itachi only replied noncommittally, finishing his drink.

A cold wind swatted through the clearing and Damaru looked at the sky.

"I think it's gonna rain." She said, gathering her things "We better get back before being drenched."

"I agree." Itachi nodded, imitating her.

They ran, trying to avoid the oncoming shower.

They almost made it to Damaru's house but the rain was faster than them and they ended soaked when they entered the house.

"Damaru?" they heard Kakashi said from the kitchen "Is that you?"

"Yes." The little girl replied "And Itachi is with me."

They saw the young man's head appear through the door and he observed their soaked state.

"I'll get some towels. Stay there." He said, disappearing quickly upstairs.

There was a bit of silence before Itachi noticed Damaru was repressing a giggle.

"What's so funny?" he asked curiously.

"….you." His friend replied shortly before erupting in giggle.

Itachi blinked before looking into the mirror in the entrance.

Indeed they both looked like drowned zombies or something similar.

"You aren't better off." He retorted, a smile grazing his lips.

"Are you kidding?" Damaru replied haughtily, swishing her hairs, splashing accidentally more water on Itachi "I'm awesomely be… kya!"

She got interrupted when Itachi splashed her back, using his soaked cloak.

They engaged in a short water fight before collapsing, tired and laughing, until Kakashi came back with a mountain of towels and spare clothes.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter seven

**Once again a big thank for Sukki18's constant reviews! And I don't own anything except the plot and my Ocs. Don't hesitate to review!**

"Rin-onee-san!" Damaru greeted happily, running to hug the medic "Can I ask you something?"

"What?" Kakashi questioned jokingly "No hug for me?"

Damaru hugged him briefly before turning to Rin again.

"Can you teach me the mystical palm technique? Pretty please!" The little girl asked, putting on an adorable puppy pout for good measure.

"Damaru." The woman laughed lightly, kneeling beside the little girl "Even if you learn this technique, your chakra reserve wouldn't allow you to heal more than a few little scratches. And it's no good to use it if you don't know how the body work down to the littlest particles. It takes a good deal of years to learn how to be a good medic."

"Why do you want to learn a medical technique?" Kakashi asked curiously, picking her up in his arms.

To his mild surprise, Damaru's face turned serious and grave.

"Because I know."

"Know what princess?"

"I saw. They refuse to heal you at the hospital."

"What!" Rin exclaimed angrily, turning to her boyfriend "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's nothing." Kakashi sighed "And you know that I don't particularly like hospitals."

"No, it's serious." Rin replied, frowning "If one day you're gravely hurt and doctors refuse to treat or operate you, you could die."

"This is why I want to be a medic." Damaru said "I want to help Kakashi-nii, Sakumo-ojii and dad. And Naruto-chan too."

"I see." Rin nodded "How about that? Next week, for your birthday, I buy you some books and let you learn how the human body works. Then, once you get that done, I'll teach you a few basic medical techniques."

Damaru pondered on it for a few moments before nodding.

"Okay, deal."

They shook hands before Kakashi declared:

"Now it's time to go to bed."

"But I'm not tired!" Damaru pouted, her behaviour changing radically.

"No but." Kakashi replied, walking upstairs "Ninjas in training have to get a lot of sleep to rejuvenate their energy and chakra. It's really important."

"Yeah that and you want to be alone with Rin-nee-chan."

"Don't speak about things you don't understand."

"I saw you two kissing!"

"…Bed, now."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"You have the whole day." The teacher finished explaining to the group of last year students gathered before him "You're free to choose whatever ways and means on the condition that you don't ask for help. Good luck."

Itachi shouldered his bag and turned around, walking in the forest.

He felt the heated glares of several much older boys but paid them no attention.

He was more than accustomed to it.

He had studied the map yesterday evening and chose the road where he had fewer chances to be bothered. It would be longer and slightly more difficult, but at least he wouldn't be stopped by groups of boys seeking revenge for all those times he beat them during taijutsu spars.

So he took immediately right and jumped on the nearest branch, separating himself from the walking groups of children.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"Do you see it anywhere Naru-chan?" Damaru asked, intently looking around.

"No." The baby on her back replied slowly, struggling to form the consonant.

Damaru smiled and continued along the river.

Naruto was getting really good at the 'where is it?' game. He even could register a photo or picture, pointing when he found it or saying no when not. Perhaps to others it seemed a bit precocious but Damaru had long ago stopped noticing things like that about her little brother.

Why Damaru was out deep inside the woods with her little baby brother strapped on her back?

Simple, she was searching for medicinal herbs.

Since Rin-nee-chan began teaching her, Damaru became really interested in herbs and remedies.

She loved observing the woman concoct her own potions and even helped from time to time.

It didn't take more than that to awake the want to create her medicine too.

She had all but dived in medicinal herbs' books and soon was overwhelmed with the huge quantities of plants and informations contained within.

She didn't see herself go on a trip every day to search for herbs, nor didn't she like the option of always borrowing from Rin.

Her only other possibility was to create her own reserve.

She had spoken to her family and not a day later Sakumo came back with enough woods to create her garden's borders.

With Kakashi they built the fences along with a few signs to note which plant was which. They also helped her dig the trenches and her father added his contribution by creating a water system.

All that was left was collecting young seedlings to put into her gardens.

Damaru wanted to do that herself, and it also permitted her to be out in the open air with Naruto (they hadn't had a lot of opportunities to).

She had decided to collect her plants a bunch by a bunch, in function of the environment they grew in.

For this day she was almost finished. All that was left was to find was a hawthorn.

Suddenly Damaru heard Naruto babble happily, his little hand pointing upward.

The girl followed his indications and soon enough saw against a rocky wall a young hawthorn.

Perfect.

"Very good Naruto." She agreed "This one will do nicely."

She put her bag down and tightened Naruto's straps on her back before taking the necessary tools out.

She then gathered her chakra and began to walk up the cliff.

She reached the seedling and began trying to extract it from the rocks it was fitted in.

"Curse it!" she exclaimed when the burgeoning bush resisted fiercely, despite her tugs.

"You perhaps need some help?"

Squeaking in surprise, Damaru lost her concentration on her chakra and began falling.

She felt someone supporting her and Naruto's weigh before she could entirely detach herself from the rocky wall.

"Itachi!" she exclaimed, recognising the boy before scolding him "You startled me. Naruto could have been gravely injured!"

"Sorry." Itachi apologised, helping her to put her feet against the cliff once more "I didn't know you would react that way."

Damaru huffed angrily, but let it go.

"So?" Itachi asked when he was sure she had calmed down "What were you trying to do?"

"I need this young hawthorn bush for my medicinal garden." Damaru explained, readjusting a gurgling Naruto and pointing at the resisting plant.

"Hn." Itachi hummed in thought, walking up to the hawthorn to observe it closely "I can help."

"Really?" Damaru asked hopefully.

"Walk down to the ground and go hide with Naruto behind that big tree." The boy instructed, pointing to a thick trunked tree too their left.

Damaru looked curiously at him but nonetheless nodded before walking down the cliff, snatching her bag in passing.

Itachi got his bag off his shoulders and rummaged into it to get two little bomb tags.

He walked up to the young hawthorn and observed its emplacement critically before placing the two tags.

He was still a novice at it, but he was 90% sure that the bush would remain unharmed…most of it anyway.

He linked the two pieces of paper and created a trigger none too far away.

He climbed down quickly and hid near Damaru and Naruto before throwing a shuriken at the trigger.

The rocks exploded, falling down on the ground, followed by a heavy dust.

"We can go back up." Itachi said after a while, peeking from behind the tree he was hiding behind "It will be easier now."

Damaru nodded and they walked back up. Itachi used a kunai to carefully extract the bush before handing it to her.

"Thank you." Damaru smiled as she put a bag around the bits of earth surrounding the roots before putting the plant in her bag "Without you I would be still fighting with it to get it out."

"No problem." Itachi smiled walking back down with her.

He suddenly froze, turning his head to the right to glare at a bunch of bushes a few metres away.

"Itachi?" Damaru asked curiously, not understanding until she saw three older boys walking out of said bushes.

"So you thought you could escape us?" One of them asked, smirking arrogantly "Well try again squirt."

"And who is that?" The second one asked mockingly, pointing to Damaru "Aren't you a bit too young to have a girlfriend?"

"Hey check this!" The third one exclaimed, noticing Naruto on Damaru's back "Isn't it a bit too soon squirt?"

"Well in two little months he will be a ninja. Though I didn't know he was that precocious!"

"Itachi?" Damaru asked worriedly while the three boys were busy roaring with laughter.

"Climb the cliff to the top with Naruto." Itachi instructed "Quickly."

Damaru wanted to protest, but the look he sent her made her shut up and nod before complying.

"Oh." One of the boys pouted before trying to intercept her.

He stepped back, groaning in pain.

Itachi stood between them and the little girl, his fighting stance flawless like always. The difference was what the boy saw in his eyes, making him hesitate.

During their year together, Itachi had always been distant and most of all extremely passive.

When he was bothered, he never fought back, letting them insult him without paying much attention, which made them angered and insulting him harder.

But now, looking at him, they saw a strange fire igniting in his eyes. Something that made them step back from the girl.

However they regained their countenance fast and one of them smirked.

"So little squirt wants to play this time." He mocked, cracking his knuckles "Let's not disappoint him boy."

Meanwhile Damaru had reached the top of the cliff and sat down a few seconds to regain some strength before peaking down.

She was worried for Itachi facing off against three grown up boys. But seeing him fight she admitted that perhaps she had nothing to worry about.

His fighting style was fluid and strong. He was slipping gracefully under the boys shaky guards to deal precise strikes that left them in pain and breathless.

But she saw the problem when Itachi began slowing down. He obviously didn't want to hurt the boys too much, and was also visibly tiring quickly.

On the other hand, the three bullies seemed dead set on inflicting as much pain as possible. Even if Itachi was talented, he had received a few hits already.

Biting her bottom lip, Damaru tried to think of how she could help him.

She searched hard and finally got an idea.

A few feet down Itachi was becoming desperate.

He couldn't continue like that much longer. He couldn't use any of his technique as he didn't want to gravely injure his classmates, but resistance wasn't his thing. Soon enough he would leave too much openings and they were going to take advantage of that.

He let unconsciously his left side unprotected and saw too late one of the boy direct a hit to it.

He had barely the time to vaguely protect his torso, and braced himself for the impact.

It never came.

The boy cried in pain and stumbled back, two open wounds near his right eye and his left hand.

Itachi saw two metallic blurs at the corner of his vision.

Another boy cried in pain, two similar wounds on his chest and shoulder.

Itachi looked up to see Damaru concentrating, her hands moving precisely in tiny dry twitches.

He followed the long, thin wires attached to these hands and saw two shurikens tied to them, one each.

Apparently the third boy left uninjured noticed too and growled.

"You bitch!" he yelled, taking two kunais out, intending to throw them at her.

He moved his arm back to aim, only to come face to face with Itachi.

The boy punched him, destroying his nose and making him drop his weapons.

Meanwhile the other two, still assaulted by the flying shurikens, decided they had enough and retreated.

The third boy followed them, sending Itachi a hateful glare before disappearing.

Itachi bent over the moment he did, taking deep breathes.

"Itachi-kun!" Damaru exclaimed worriedly, grabbing her things and running down the rocky wall, miraculously avoiding breaking her neck (and Naruto's) on the landing.

"Are you alright Itachi?" she asked worriedly once she had run near him, kneeling beside him.

"It's okay." The boy reassured, straightening and wiping off some sweat on his forehead "Will you be able to go back home by yourself?"

"Yes." Damaru answered "But, and you?"

"I'll be alright." The boy replied soothingly "I'm just a bit tired. I have a task to finish. I guess I'll see you later."

"Alright." Damaru sighed, pouting a bit "You'll be careful okay?"

"Yeah don't worry." Itachi smiled, walking away before disappearing behind bushes "See you!"

Damaru followed his retreating back before sighing and looking back at Naruto on her back.

"Well I guess we're finished Naru-chan. Let's go home shall we?"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter eight

**I'm really sorry to post a new chapter this late! This weekend we celebrated my grandpa's eighty's birthday and I had barely the time to do two third of my homework charge by grasping half an hour here and half an hour there. **

**Now I have a bit of relaxation time before going to sleep, so I'm posting the eighth chapter. Hope you enjoy! And don't hesitate to leave a review to the poor author who is gonna slave herself to keep up with the workload. **

**And special thanks to Sukki18 who keep reviewing my chapters, and SonomiTakashia!**

"You really think they will ask you to name all the sedimentary layers in the hokage's monument?" Damaru asked doubtfully, reading up one of the revising sheets splattered on the low table "How is that going to help you when you become a shinobi?"

"I have no idea." Itachi grumbled, concentrating on reading another sheet, trying to memorise all the laws the first and second Hokage had created.

Damaru looked up at him. She still had no idea why he came to her house to revise. Perhaps it was because of Sasuke. He had brought the baby with him and he was currently playing in the park with Naruto.

Or perhaps her house was calmer than his.

She had only a vague idea of what his life was like at his home, but she understood he was under a lot of pressure from his clan.

Perhaps this was why he seemed tense and stressed these last days when she had the opportunity to see him.

Either way, she never questioned it and always welcomed him.

"I'll go make some tea." She proposed, getting up "And the little ones are probably hungry too."

"You need some help?" Itachi asked mechanically, always the polite one.

"No." Damaru replied firmly, disappearing in the kitchen "You continue to revise your written exam."

Itachi smiled thankfully before plunging again in his revising sheets.

After some time Damaru came back with his tea.

"It's hawthorn black tea, one of the first medicines I made." She said proudly, putting the tray in front of him "Don't worry Rin-nee-chan checked it first so there's no danger of getting poisoned. And it's good against stress, try it."

She disappeared in the kitchen again and Itachi glanced at the trail in front of him.

He poured himself a cup and added some sugar before tasting.

"It's good." He said.

"Thanks." Damaru's voices replied from the kitchen.

Itachi smiled and returned of his revisions.

An hour passed and Damaru came back with the babies' snacks.

"Perhaps you can make a pause and help me feed them." She asked "I already have my hands full when I try to make Naruto eat properly."

Itachi nodded and put his papers away.

Damaru put the tray down and went to the park.

When Naruto saw her, he smiled and began crawling to her.

The girl smiled at her little brother but was really surprised when Sasuke, who was already next to her, extended his arms to her.

She blinked, looked at Itachi who only blinked back, before tentatively picking the black haired baby up.

She waited for him to cry, but he simply looked at her before tentatively touching her face.

When she looked at Itachi again, at loss for words, she saw him smiling.

She blinked before smiling a bit back, uncertain.

They were interrupted when Naruto decided to make himself known, wailing while trying to reach for Damaru.

"Oh!" The white haired girl exclaimed, quickly passing Sasuke to Itachi before picking the blond baby up.

Almost immediately Sasuke's wails joined Naruto's, Itachi's little brother trying to wriggle out of Itachi's grip.

"It seems we have again another problem." Damaru managed to say above the wailing.

"I have an idea." Itachi replied quickly "Give me Naruto. I'll give you Sasuke but stay beside me."

Damaru raised an eyebrow but complied.

At first she didn't observe any change, but little by little the babies calmed down and looked up curiously at the new persons holding them.

"It worked." Damaru sighed happily while Sasuke was pawing her face "How did you know what to do?"

"Well." Itachi answered, walking to the law table followed closely by Damaru "We have been taking care of them for quite a while now. It's only natural they would soon enough get curious about the other person."

"It makes sense." Damaru nodded "I just hope Naruto will not tire of being in your arms. He tends to change his interests quickly and often."

"Let's hope not." The black haired boy replied "I don't think you can hold them both in your arms."

"Let's hope not." Damaru concluded, sitting down and giving Sasuke a piece of fruit "If you're going to feed Naruto, I suggest you take the napkins."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

Sarutobi, Hokage of Konoha, named the professor, looked at the different profiles, each describing a newly promoted genin from the academy.

He just had a meeting reuniting the academy's teachers, the clan elders and civilian ones.

He had heard each of their pleas, preferences and warnings. All that was left was to make the teams and summon the jonin instructors.

But he was in front of a major problem.

On the desk, open, was the file of the new genin Itachi Uchiha.

Sarutobi perfectly heard when the Uchiha elders asked for the boy to not be placed on a team. Apparently the clan wanted to train him apart until he was ready to take on the chuunin exam.

The old man sighed. He knew not putting the young Uchiha in a team was probably the best solution.

But…

He still didn't like the undertone the elders had spoken on. It seemed that for them young Itachi was a tool, something they could use to achieve something. What exactly he didn't know.

The poor boy was barely seven, and already he was guenin. Sarutobi had also no doubts that he would climb the grades quickly.

But with climbing up came the pressure. More and more things would be asked of him.

And he was just seven.

Sarutobi sighed and looked at the other files.

Perhaps he could give it a go, see if the Uchiha heir could integrate himself, or at least try.

The delicate thing was to choose the right kids.

He began reading through the files, eliminating almost all the clan children and most of the civilian ones, knowing the competition between the clans and the jealousy of the others.

He had the feeling Itachi would have difficulties befriending girls, so he tried to look at the remaining boys.

He re-read the files.

The problem was that any boys would feel inferior and inevitably jealous.

He needed someone open minded and inclined to make friends.

He stopped in front of one file.

Yes, this one would do.

Only another one left to find.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"So?" Sakumo asked, smiling down at the three newly promoted genins sitting in front of him on the grass "How about we present ourselves?"

He still didn't know how Sarutobi managed it, but he had given him a genin team.

"I'll begin." He proposed "My name is Sakumo Hatake. I like my family and reading. I dislike rain and I don't have any specific dream apart from insuring my family's happiness. How about you?"

He pointed to the only girl in the team. She had deep black hair with hints of silver in them and the trademark eyes of her clan.

"Me, well." She replied "My name is Hikari Hyuuga. I like ikebana and reading and I dislike spicy food. As or my dream…"

She went quiet, slightly reluctant. Sakumo didn't push it.

"How about you know?" he asked the boy with orange blond hairs and dark brown eyes.

"My name is Kotetsu Takemo." He smiled "I like training and eating but I don't like to cook. My dream is to prove that even though I don't come from a prestigious clan, I can become strong and be an awesome ninja!"

"That's a good goal." Sakumo approved "And you?"

"My name is Itachi Uchiha." The seven year's old replied evenly. He hesitated a bit before continuing "I like my friend and my little brother."

He became quiet and didn't say more.

Sakumo observed his team for a bit. This was going to take some work.

Hikari seemed posed and affable, but a bit disinterested in the team. Kotetsu seemed eager to prove himself and while this could be a good drive forward, it could also make him do stupid things.

As for Itachi, Sakumo could perfectly see the years of conditioning his clan had done and even if the boy was refreshingly humble for an Uchiha, he was much too distant.

"Alright." He said enthusiastically, getting up "Follow me."

He led them to a training ground and once there, showed them a map.

"We're currently here." He said, pointing to an area "And your goal is to get here."

He pointed to another area before abruptly rolling up the parchment.

"Hey!" Kotetsu protested "I didn't have the time to properly see!"

Sakumo shrugged and put the map away.

"You can use any means you want to achieve your goal. You have three hours. However, I will try to prevent you from achieving your task. And I'll warn you know."

He looked at them darkly and they shivered.

"I will stop at nothing to stop you."

"Y-You c-can't k-kill us?" Kotetsu asked hesitantly "R-Right?"

As an answer, Sakumo smirked.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"Okay." Damaru said determinedly "Just look. I'll 'disappear' momentarily and reappear within the circle.

Sasuke and Naruto, comfortably settled in the outdoor park, only blinked in wonder, observing the girl.

Damaru took a deep breath and made a few handsigns before concentrating.

In a puff of smoke she disappeared, much to the surprise of the babies, only to trip a few meters away, landing in the circle drawn on the ground face first.

Sasuke and Naruto laughed merrily, applauding.

"Okay." Damaru grumbled, getting up "Too much chakra in my legs. Let's try again."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

Itachi landed on a high up branch to rest a bit.

When their sensei said he would stop them by any means, he meant it. Itachi had barely made half of the way and he was injured, as well as tired.

"Watch out!"

Kotetsu suddenly appeared and pushed him to the side.

The kunai that lodged itself in the bark where Itachi had been a moment ago exploded.

"Thanks." Itachi breathed when they landed a bit away.

"No need." The boy replied "Sakumo-sensei seems to be particularly harsh with you."

"Hn." Itachi simply replied, looking around before his eyes narrowed on the boy's ankle "You're hurt."

"It's nothing." Kotetsu shrugged good heartedly "Just a little scratch. I still can run if I don't push on it too much."

"I'll scout ahead." Itachi proposed, getting up "If it's dangerous I'll send you a signal."

"What type?"

"You'll know don't worry."

With that the Uchiha disappeared and Kotetsu was left alone to also walk forward, albeit at a slower pace.

Meanwhile Itachi landed silently on a branch bordering a little clearing.

There he saw Sakumo and Hikari fighting.

He hesitated a bit before taking out a bomb tag tied to a kunai with a little smoke bomb.

He threw the kunai in the air and activated it.

Hoping that Kotetsu would get the hint and go around the area, Itachi threw the some bombs at the centre of the clearing, creating a thick smoke.

Already having memorized the layout of the clearing, Itachi darted into the smoke cloud and grabbed Hikari's hand.

He pulled her out of the cloud and into the trees.

"Thanks." Hikari nodded "He took me by surprise."

"Hn." Itachi replied evenly before pointing a direction "You should go help Kotetsu back there. He's injured. There another clearing a few metres away. Go there and set up traps. I'll try to stall as much time as possible."

There was natural authority in his tone and Hikari found herself nodding without thinking before complying.

Itachi's gaze followed her for a few seconds before returning to the clearing, where the smoke was dissipating.

He narrowed his eyes.

Sakumo wasn't here anymore.

He just had the time to get out a kunai and face the man as he appeared to his side.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

Damaru walked in the alleys of her incomplete but still well-furnished medicine garden.

She kneeled in front of a young seedling of an absinth bush, taking a leaf between her thumb and her finger.

She smiled. It was growing well and soon enough she would take the leaves to transform them into teas, brews and tinctures.

She had a huge work ahead of her. Most of the flowers, leaves and fruits of the medicine herbs were collected in summer.

And she hadn't even collected half of the ones on her list.

Then she would have to transform them into teas, tinctures, potions and various other forms of medicine.

With her ninja training, she sure would be very tired come the evening.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter nine

**Big thanks to Sukki18 as always and Dragonwolfqueen for their lovely review. **

**Just a remark before I let you enjoy this chapter. I'm perfectly aware that in my story Itachi's father is (and will in future chapters) a right bastard. I'm also aware that he is not like that in the manga (not that I know this character very well).**

**So in my story Fugaku Uchiha is going to be OOC. And please don't be shocked, I really made him quite a bastard (in my opinion anyway, so I'll let you judge)**

**Onward with the story now! Enjoy (and don't forget a little review for the author)!**

Itachi wasn't even trying to land an attack anymore. Their sensei was too strong for them (it didn't take a genius to figure that out).

He calculated that his teammates had enough time to reach the clearing he had indicated and put traps around.

He put some distance between him and his opponent before doing some handsigns.

He watched carefully as Sakumo-sensei's body became rigid. He knew it wouldn't last very long so he retreated, running a few meters before hiding his chakra and abruptly turning right.

"There you are." Hikari called waiting for him on a branch "Come on I'll guide you."

She led him to the clearing using a twisted path around the traps.

"Hey Itachi." Kotetsu greeted when they appeared in the clearing "Nice to see you in one piece."

"Hn" The boy replied, putting down his bag and rummaging in it before getting out a vial filled with a green paste, a roll of bandage and a little bottle filled with an orange liquid.

"Go post yourself in a tree and look out for our sensei." He instructed Hikari, throwing her the bottle "And drink this."

"What is it?" The girl asked curiously while Itachi grabbed another similar bottle filled from his bag.

"A mix of acerola and sea buckthorn juice with sugar." Itachi supplied shortly, nearing Kotetsu before kneeling beside him and giving him the green paste filled vial "Here, put some of this on your wound."

"And what is it?" Kotetsu asked, opening the vial and taking a bit of the paste.

"Camomile and aloe vera ointment." Itachi answered, giving him the bandage roll and taking back the vial when the paste was in "And drink this too."

He gave him the bottle and returned to his bag, putting the vial in and taking a third bottle before taking a sip of it.

"Did you make all of this?" Kotetsu asked curiously while finishing bandaging his injured ankle.

"No." answered shortly Itachi "My friend did."

"Really? Is she in our class?"

"No."

"We need to make plans." Hikari interrupted before Kotetsu could question Itachi further "We can't stay here forever."

"Hn." Itachi nodded, taking a fallen branch and drawing a crude map on the ground "I have a few. Come down Hikari, you'll need to hear this."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

Damaru sneezed loudly, much to the delight of Naruto and Sasuke who laughed.

"Sometimes I wonder if you love me or hate me." The girl wondered out loud, frowning at the two babies who only laughed harder "I'm not sick though, so someone must be talking about me. Who do you think it is?"

"Iwafi." Sasuke babbled almost incoherently while Naruto clapped his hands together.

"Perhaps." Damaru conceded before looking back at the boiling water "I better concentrate on what I am doing. After all the wormwood decoction isn't going to do itself."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

Hikari stepped in the clearing, on the alert, before barely evading an attack from Sakumo-sensei.

She darted to the left, once again evading him.

Sakumo lost her for a few seconds before seeing her again a few meters away.

He sighed, this little game had lasted way too long for his taste, but he would respect whatever plan they had made

Suddenly an explosion detonated to his left, a bit behind him.

He had no time to exactly pinpoint the exact location as Hikari attacked him, her byakugan activated.

They engaged into a taijutsu fight and Sakumo had to concede that Hikari was good in this, as were most of her clan.

It actually took him a few seconds to notice he was in a genjutsu.

'Itachi-kun is definitively good with genjutsu' he though while making a handsign "Kai."

The genjutsu dissipated, only to be replaced by a second one.

'A double layered genjutsu eh?' Sakumo thought, smirking and repeating the process.

This time no other illusion replaced the destroyed one he was free to go.

He chose to head over where he had heard the explosion and soon noticed Itachi and Hikari zigzagging between the trees.

'Traps, eh?' he thought, noticing a few wires sticking out "Not bad, not bad at all."

He took a few steps to his left, only to trigger a much better hidden trap.

'So he predicted I would underestimate him.' Sakumo thought, smirking, evading the trap only to trigger another.

'This will take some time.'

A few meters away, Itachi and Hikari appeared beside Kotetsu before bending down, exhausted, but successful.

"Well." Sakumo smiled, appearing suddenly behind them, making the two stumble in surprise "That was certainly interesting. Now, I want a full report."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"I really hope this will work." Damaru mumbled to herself as she carefully put her dumplings in the steamers "And that dad will never find out that I used the hot plate without him."

She jumped off the stool she was on just in time to catch Sasuke's cup of food.

"And." She said, straightening "Twenty. Don't you think you've made me suffer enough already?"

The black haired baby, obviously disagreeing with her, laughed before throwing his spoon.

Damaru caught it deftly and put the two items on the little plate in front of him. Taking a spoonful of the smashed mixture, she neared it to Sasuke who put his mouth away defiantly.

"Oh come Sasu-chan." Damaru cooed softly "It's tomato puree, okay there's also sweet potatoes, but come on you can't always eat tomatoes alone! You got to try other vegetables too. Why potatoes shouldn't be delicious like tomatoes?"

"No!" Sasuke exclaimed defiantly before throwing away his cup of milk.

Damaru sighed but managed to catch it, much to Sasuke's delight.

"If only you were more like Naruto." She mumbled moodily, trying to feed the reluctant baby the spoonful "At least _he_ eats almost anything I present to him."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"Report." The Hokage ordered, sitting back comfortably in his chair "This is unusual of you to be this late Sakumo."

"Forgive me Hokage-sama." The man apologised "I was busy talking with my genin team. I wanted to be sure of my conclusions.

"And so?" Sarutobi asked "What are they?"

"They passed my test Hokage-sama. Kotetsu needs a lot of improvement. His taijutsu is awful, his genjutsu disastrous and ninjutsu non-existent. But his chakra reserves are decent and his chakra control quite good since he can do some basic seals for his traps. His stealth needs some works too."

"I see. And what of the others?"

"Hikari is your typical Hyuuga. Her taijutsu style is up to chuunin level and her genjutsu and ninjutsu close to non-existent. Her chakra control is excellent but her chakra reserves lack a bit. Her stealth is average. As for Itachi…"

Sakumo was silent for a while, choosing carefully his words.

"He's quite the leader, I have to admit. During the test he quickly noticed where his teammates' strengths laid and used them to the team's advantage. He's also a good strategic for a genin. His taijutsu needs some work but he's quite good with his ninjutsu and genjutsu, as expected from an Uchiha. The problem is that his chakra reserves are quite low and his chakra control not good enough. He was tired quickly during the test. His stealth is decent. Hokage-sama, there's something I need to say."

"Go on then."

"I couldn't help but notice…Itachi seemed tense, long before we began the test, and even after. I worry about the pressure his clan is putting on him. He's only seven."

"And this is exactly why I put him in your team." Sarutobi replied "You above anyone else should know about pressures. I count on you to guide him and his team onto the right path and make sure Itachi doesn't collapse. And with a bit of luck your input might change the future, who knows…"

Sakumo blinked, wondering what the old man had meant with the last comment. But as Sarutobi added nothing, the man bowed before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"So?" Damaru asked eagerly as Itachi entered the house.

"I passed." Itachi smiled, taking off his coat "I'm now a guenin with my team and Sakumo is our sensei."

"This awesome!" Damaru exclaimed happily, jumping up and down before promptly hugging the boy in front of her.

Itachi tensed, a pink blush appearing on his cheek.

But Damaru had already withdrew, a huge smile on her face.

"I knew you could do it Itachi! And I made something for you, come come!"

She took his hand in hers and dragged him into the living room before force-sitting him in front of the low table.

"Stay here." She said before disappearing in the kitchen.

Itachi blinked, sending a curious look to the ram dam emitting from the room before cooing sounds caught his ears.

He turned to see Naruto and Sasuke in the park. Sasuke extented his hands to him, a smile on his face.

On first reaction Itachi moved to stand, but then heard the kitchen door open and swiftly sat back.

"Here you go!" Damaru exclaimed happily, putting a trail in front of him.

"Is that…?" The boy questioned, eyeing with surprise the food.

"Yep." Damaru replied proudly "It's dango. I made them especially for you. Now eat and tell me what you think."

Itachi nodded before taking a sample.

"So?"

"It's really good."

Damaru beamed, happy to not have screwed up (it was typically the sort of thing that happened each time she tried a new recipe), and Itachi couldn't help but smile back.

The moment was ruined when Sasuke decided to make his presence known, decidedly not liking when his brother ignored him.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"Itachi, I'm proud of you." Itachi's father said very formally "You serve your clan well. I expect you to keep in your effort and continue at this rate."

"It will take my team some time before we participate in the chuunin exam." Itachi tried to explain.

"Ah, yes." Fugaku replied disdainfully "_Your team_. I never understood why the Hokage placed you with _such individuals_ rather than let me train you properly. And to think that your sensei is _Sakumo Hatake_."

The name was said with such disgust Itachi involuntarily cringed.

"He's nothing but a pathetic man trying to prove non-existent morals." His father sneered "Putting the life of his comrades above the mission, now that is a true sign of weakness. I don't ever want you to follow any of these ridiculous standards son."

Itachi really felt like he should defend his team's honour. They were, after all, the closest persons, except for Damaru, who had accepted him as he was.

He felt righteous anger hearing his team and sensei being insulted, but he couldn't find the strength to voice it out loud to his father.

Itachi loved his father, and had always strived to make him proud, to meet his expectations. He made an honour point to never disappointed the man.

His father was the main reason he had worked hard to graduate at seven.

But now…now it wasn't the same thing. He had met Damaru.

She never put any pression on his shoulders. She accepted him as he was and was always happy for him and proud without expecting further of him.

And he still remembered Sakumo-sensei's words when they asked him if he would do the same thing that brought him shame and rejection.

His answer was clear.

Yes.

"_Informations, even as important as they were in my mission, are just words put on pieces of papers. They can always be acquired by other means, at another time, and still be exactly the same. But for a comrade, your teammate, your friend, it isn't the same thing. You lose a comrade, you lose him or her forever."_

These words had a huge impact on young Itachi, and he began questioning his father's motivations. Why was he looking down at anyone who wasn't an Uchiha? Why for him, concern for a comrade turned into a weakness?

As he looked back on the genin test Sakumo-sensei run through them, he realised he would never have succeeded if it wasn't for Hikari and Kotetsu.

But it still wasn't enough for him to directly oppose his father.

Itachi was shooked out of his thoughts when his father decided to speak again.

"All of that aside, I will not tolerate you slacking off." He said harshly "So when you're not with your team, you and I will train."

"Yes father." Was all Itachi could reply.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten

**As always, a big thanks to Sukki18 for her continuous reviews that never fail to boost me to write. **

**In this chapter four new characters appear! Yes, four and it's maybe not what you think about. ^_^**

**I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!**

"Enough!" Kotetsu yelled.

"Enough what?" Sakumo repeated, turning to him.

"Enough of the boring D-ranked missions!" The boy exclaimed angrily "I want something more exciting! This isn't what I signed for when I became a ninja!"

Sakumo observed his team, biting back a smile.

At one point every team would had enough of chasing cats and cleaning jobs. He was even surprised they had supported them that far.

But they were still not ready to take on C-ranked missions. There were still too much gaps in their techniques and teamwork to effectively fight as a team.

However, keeping them unsatisfied for too long might be dangerous for him, and too much frustration could ruin up what they had worked on so far.

He observed Hikari. She was quiet and frowning a bit at Kotetsu's disrespect, but he could clearly see she was agreeing with the boy.

He passed to Itachi and immediately became worried, something he had felt for the past week.

The boy looked tired, physically and mentally. And what was worse was that he had begun to slowly withdraw from the team. It was sad as he had made so much progresses in opening up.

Sadly, Sakumo didn't have to search far to find the cause of the boy's problem.

He had, at one time, gone to fetch the boy as he was late for his training with his team.

He had found him at a training ground with his father.

Even he had winced at the harsh treatment the man was administrating to his son.

That, and the barely veiled disdain the clan leader had showed when he noticed him, was all Sakumo needed to join the pieces together and find the answer.

Unfortunately there was nothing he could do, as Itachi's father had perfectly the right to train his son outside team training.

But even Damaru had begun to complain that she wasn't seeing the boy as much as before.

'Wait…' Sakumo suddenly thought 'This may be the solution.'

"Sensei?" Hikari asked, wondering why her sensei was so silent suddenly.

"Eh? Oh sorry." The man smiled sheepishly before proposing "Alright I may have something for you."

"Really?" Kotetsu exclaimed happily, jumping up and down before hugging him "Thank you sensei!"

Hikari rolled her eyes at his antics but still had a smile on her face. She really hoped this time their mission would be a bit more exciting.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

Damaru perked up curiously when the door opened.

A wriggling Naruto in her arms, she made her way into the entrance to see Sakumo, Itachi and two other people she didn't know standing in the entrance.

"Uncle?" she asked curiously, readjusting Naruto a bit "Itachi?"

"You know her?" The boy with orange blond hair asked, turning to the younger boy and their sensei.

"This is Damaru Senju, my friend's daughter. Damaru, you still have some medicinal plants to collect, correct?"

"Yes, but why are you asking me that?"

"Because these three here will help you collect the rest."

"Eh?"

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"I still think that sensei used this as an excuse to stay home." Kotetsu grumbled

"Well." Damaru defended "He hasn't been able to pass quality time with Naru-chan for a while now, and it's true someone needs to stay with him."

"I don't understand though." Hikari said "From what we saw you already have collected a large of herbs' samples. Why do you need help?"

"The missing herbs are the ones that are the farthest away from Konoha." The white haired little girl explained "And recently there have been sightings of dangerous predators around the village. Dad didn't want me to go alone."

"That's understandable." Hikari conceded as they stopped in a clearing a few metres away from Konoha "Now, what plants do we have to collect?"

"I divided them into two parts." Damaru explained, putting down her bag and taking out two sheets of paper "The first one requires a lot of climbing."

"We'll do it." Kotetsu proposed, taking the paper from her "You and Itachi take the rest."

"We meet at Damaru's house maximum at six thirty." Itachi said, taking the other sheet and quickly scanning through it "If anyone has a problem, use the talkies sensei lent us."

"Roger." Kotetsu joked, doing a military salute.

Hikari smiled, Damaru giggled lightly and Itachi rolled his eyes.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"Do you think these two know each other?" Kotetsu asked curiously.

"Obviously." Hikari snorted, rolling her eyes "They must have been friends for quite some time."

"How do you know that?"

"Well, first, when Damaru opened the door, she greeted both sensei and Itachi." Hikari explained "And when we entered Itachi obviously knew his way around. But there is something that's still bugging me…"

"What?"

"…Damaru-chan seemed worried and hesitant when she was looking at Itachi. As she knows him better than us, that must mean something is off with the boy."

"I noticed. For a few days now he had kept his distances with us. He never was touchy feely but he still was… neutrally friendly." Kotetsu provided helpfully.

"Whatever it is." Hikari sighed "I hope Damaru will be able to sort it out with him."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

Said white haired girl was actually slanting a glance Itachi's way, more and more worried.

Itachi…wasn't Itachi. Well, not the Itachi she came to know and appreciate.

This Itachi seemed…sombre, withdraw, in pain.

It was almost making her shy.

"I..Itachi?" she managed to ask.

"Hn?" The boy asked, turning to her, his eyes emotionless.

"Ar-Are you alright?" The girl tried, intimidated somehow.

"I am alright." He simply replied, turning away, no smile making its way to his face.

Damaru held back a whimper as she became really worried.

They continued to walk in silence until the girl gathered her courage and abruptly stopped.

"Damaru?" Itachi asked , stopping when he noticed the girl not following him.

"No!" she said firmly "You're not alright!"

Itachi blinked and Damaru's frown deepened.

"You're distant, too quiet and you seem tired and…sombre."

"Sombre?"

"Yes, sombre."

"There's nothing wrong Damaru." Itachi frowned.

"Yes there is!"

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes!"

"No, there isn't." The boy snapped "Now leave me alone!"

That shut the little girl who looked at him with incredulous eyes.

Never before had Itachi yelled at her like that.

Slowly her eyes filled with tears and Itachi immediately regretted his actions.

"Dama.." he tried but got interrupted when the girl yelled:

"You're not Itachi. Itachi never yells at me! He smile and is kind. You aren't him! You aren't my friend!"

Itachi's eyes widened at her words and he froze, giving Damaru the opportunity to bolt away.

"Damaru!" he called, running after her. But she was already far away, having more experience than him at directing herself in the thick forest.

He was struggling to get past thick bushes when he heard a scream.

"Damaru!" he yelled.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

Damaru groaned as she sat up, rubbing the bumps on her head.

She looked up and saw a high cliff facing her. She must have fallen carelessly down when she had run away. Fortunately the fall was broken by a few branches and a little mountain of soft earth.

She was scratched and sore everywhere, and even had a deep cut on her leg, but nothing was sprained or broken by some sort of miracle.

The white haired girl began looking around and froze.

A few feet away, lying on its side, was a wolf almost as tall as she was, and twice as long.

The fur on its back was pure white, much like Damaru's hairs. It's belly fur was of a green so light it looked white and there were patches of very dark brown fur on its ears and front paws.

But what concerned Damaru more was the long, deep gash on its flank, fresh blood still seeping out.

The need to help won over her fears and she neared the wolf, taking out her medical tools.

She was about to touch the wound when a warning growl rumbled through the animal's body.

She turned to see shiny ruby eyes staring back at her peridot green ones.

She wanted to run away, but refused to give in.

"I promise I will not hurt you." She said softly "I just want to help."

For what seemed the longest time, wolf and girl stared at each other before the animal closed its eyes, its head lying back on the ground.

"Thank you." Damaru whispered, a smile on her face.

She focused back on the wound and got to work.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"Damaru!" Itachi called "Damaru!"

To say he was worried was an understatement.

He had acted stupidly, he knew that. She was just worried about his health and he had snapped at her.

He shouldn't have let his father get to him like that. Because of that he had distanced himself from his friend, from Sakumo-sensei.

From Damaru.

And now that he really thought about it, even Sasuke had been left alone. He indeed was crying more often.

He really was an idiot.

And now Damaru was somewhere in this thick forest, probably hurt and afraid when he was supposed to protect her.

He suddenly heard growls and barks and decided to jump on a high branch above to have a better view.

He quickly located a wolf and a tiger fighting over a dead fawn.

The wolf was approximately his height, though twice as long. Most of the fur on the wolf was dark silver with specks of dark green on the tip of his ears and tail. The fur around its eyes, which were light brown, was yellow, forming a sort of streak.

The tiger in front of the wolf was significantly bigger, but the canine refused to budge, which surprised Itachi.

The wolf had virtually no chance.

But still, it stood its own against the huge feline, refusing to relent its prey.

Itachi had to admire its tenacity.

Unfortunately the tiger managed to swing a paw at him and got the wolf in the ribs.

The animal crashed painfully against a tree trunk, a whimper escaping its jaws.

Itachi couldn't let this happen.

He took out a few bomb tags and threw them at the tiger.

Afraid, the huge feline backed away.

The wolf stood up shakily, searching for the one who helped him.

Their eyes met.

Itachi swore he saw the wolf nod in gratitude.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"There." Damaru smiled proudly, finishing the bandage around the wolf's chest "You'll be better in no time. And don't worry your fur will grow back. It's just that I had to cut it to have access to the wound."

The wolf looked at her longly before closing its eyes once again.

Damaru smiled, knowing it needed a lot of rest.

She turned her attention on the gash on her legs, grimacing when she saw how dirty it was.

And she had nothing to properly clean it (she had used everything on the wolf).

Grimacing again, she tried to rub away some of the dirt with a torn part of her pants without great results.

She froze when a silver furred wolf appeared in front of her.

Brown eyes met green ones and Damaru tensed when the wolf growled warningly.

At that moment the white furred wolf woke up and wriggled a bit, managing to place itself between the little girl and the wolf.

The silver wolf stopped growling and looked quizzically at its companion.

They seemed to have a silent conversation before the silver wolf disinterested itself from Damaru, pulling the fawn nearer.

The white wolf turned its head right and barked shortly.

Out of thick bushes, two blurs shot out and Damaru's eyes widened as two _adorable_ ball of fluff began eating the fawn, tearing hungrily the meat apart.

They were really tiny, a bit like Naruto and Sasuke's sizes.

The first one had a striking gold fur on its back, the tips of its ears and tail dark blue while one of its front paws was dark green. Its eyes were light brown, much like the silver furred wolf.

The second one had a light yellow fur with light blue tipped ears and dark green tipped tail. Its eyes were very light brown.

They finished their share before noticing the strange biped beside the white furred wolf.

Extremely curious, they ran to her, sniffing her curiously and circling her.

She giggled, making the cubs jump in surprise, taking a step back.

Smiling, the white haired girl extended a hand.

The cubs sniffed the digits before nipping at them curiously.

Damaru moved her fingers and they jumped back again, startled.

It continued for a while before the cubs were reassured enough to play with her.

Damaru lost herself in the moment, playing with the little ones until she remembered she was actually on a mission.

She tried to stand up, startling the wolves, only to cry in pain and sit back, clutching her injured leg.

The white furred wolf shuffled neared to her, observing the dirty wound critically.

Her tongue darted out and she began to lick it, cleaning it.

Damaru winced in pain, but otherwise stayed put.

"Thank you." She said, relieved, when the wolf stopped.

She rummaged in her bag to get out an extra roll of bandage, surrounding her wound with it.

"I should go." She said, fishing out the cubs who were peering curiously in her bag before closing it "Itachi is probably looking for me."

She frowned sadly at the mention of the boy's name. She had been stupid, running away like that. Itachi needed her help the most when he was withdraw like that, that much she knew.

They had been friend for roughly half a year, and she hadn't acted like one recently.

She should have tried a more soft approach.

She was distracted when the silver furred wolf growled fiercely, staring off at an invisible point behind the bushes, the fur of its collar riding up.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter eleven

**A big thank as ever for Sukki18's review. I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter, and don't hesitate to drop a little review, it always encourages me to write and persevere through lessons and tests to still take time for my stories!**

Itachi looked worriedly as the sun began to set. He still hadn't found Damaru.

His creative mind was still running a mile per second, offering him hundreds of scenarios where Damaru was either injured, losing all her blood or simply dead.

Needless to say that during the last hour he had managed to work himself up to an unhealthy state of panic.

He suddenly heard a frightened scream and his heartbeat quickened.

Despite his aching muscles and his tiredness, he ran full speed to the source of the voice.

When he stumbled in the clearing, he had to stop a few seconds to assess the strange situation.

Damaru was in a corner, near a white furred wolf, hugging two yellow furred cubs close to her.

The silver wolf he had met a few hours earlier was standing in front of them, growling fiercely at the huge tiger menacing the group. It was probably the same one from earlier.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

Damaru hugged the cubs tighter, holding back a whimper of fright.

The silver wolf growled menacingly, but she knew it was hurt, seeing how it was limping earlier.

Her bag was beside her, but she couldn't reach it without moving.

She had shurikens and a few kunais, but she doubted they could do more than scratch the beast.

She could have distracted the tiger with shurikens and threads like she had done with the bullies who attacked her and Itachi. The problem was that she needed to link threads and shurikens together and the slightest of movement was caught by the huge feline.

The silver wolf growled before attacking, but he was no match against the huge feline. In a matter of minutes he let out a painful whimper as he was thrown on the ground a few feet away from them.

The white furred wolf let out a whine of distress as its companion tried to get up, only to trip and fall right back on the ground.

The tiger turned its attention to them and began nearing them, a hungry gleam animating its eyes.

Damaru discreetly fished out a few shurikens. She would be damned if she didn't do something and let the feline eat them so easily.

She let go of the cubs who took refuge against the white furred wolf, who growled fiercely, half getting up, its front paws trembling under the effort.

Tears began gathering in the corners of Damaru's eyes as the tiger took its time to stalk near them like the predator he was, promise of pain readable in its gaze.

The white wolf growled, the cubs whimpered and Damaru tried to maintain a brave front.

The silver wolf struggled to get up, but it was too far from them.

Damaru let her tears fall.

The tiger's eyes gleamed even hungrier when it saw her fear and it gathered his limbs to strike.

A kunai collided straight into his right eyes.

Roaring in pain, the beast turned to face the boy who had appeared.

"Itachi!" Damaru exclaimed, immensely relieved.

"Are you alright?" The boy asked, glancing at her briefly.

She nodded, sniffing a bit and relaxing ever so slightly.

He nodded back as the silver wolf once again positioned itself between them and the tiger, right beside Itachi.

"Can you stand?" The dark haired boy asked while analysing their situation.

"No." Damaru replied "I hurt my leg when I fell."

The boy nodded and concentrated back on the tiger, who decided that it was tired of waiting and leaped.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"You're both idiots." Damaru stated as she finished bandaging Itachi.

The white wolf beside her growled to support her opinion, glaring at the silver wolf.

Said silver wolf snorted and looked away while Itachi smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry." he said "I should have just tried to drive the tiger away instead of facing it head on."

His eyes travelled to the now bandaged wound on Damaru's leg.

"I'm sorry." He said softly his expression showing remorse "My mission was to protect you and I failed."

At that the girl's frown softened.

"Hey." She said soothingly "I'm alive aren't I?"

When she saw her words were having no impact, she lowered herself to meet his guilt filled eyes and smiled.

"If you hadn't come, I would be dead, eaten by a tiger, so don't say you failed."

On the spur of the moment she hugged him.

"Thank you."

Itachi blushed lightly before tentatively hugging her back.

They separated and Damaru smiled before gathering her healing tools.

Once the tiger had retreated, the little group had managed to limp to Damaru's house.

To say his team and Sakumo were surprised was an euphemism, but Sakumo sobered quickly before ordering Itachi to stay here while the others reported to the Hokkage.

Damaru re-thought of the wounds she treated and frowned.

"Ne, Itachi?" she asked, getting the boy's intentions "Your wounds…"

"My wounds?"

"Some of them weren't caused by the tiger."

At her words Itachi tensed, an emotionless mask of indifference slipping into place.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said monotonously, looking away.

Damaru chewed on her bottom lip in thought, frowned a bit, but decided to not insist.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"So?" Kakashi asked merrily,pointing to a red triangle "What colour?"

"Feee…" The little blond baby in his laps babbled, tapping his little hands against the page.

"Red, good." Kakashi smiled before he heard the door open.

He glanced sideway to see Damaru enter, followed by two wolves and two excited cubs.

"So?" he asked, putting away the book he was holding and getting up, Naruto in his arms "How did it go?"

"With a lot of rest they should be alright in two weeks." Damaru informed him as the wolves got comfortable near the fire "Apparently the white furred one is female, while the others are all males. And Hana-san also said the cubs are not theirs."

"Strange." Kakashi mused out loud as he passed an eager Naruto from his arms into Damaru's "Usually wolves don't take in orphans."

"They're nin wolves." Damaru added, though nodding in agreement.

"Aah."

The silver haired man glanced curiously at the lupines. Usually nin wolves lived far away from human activity, strong distrust against the human race running strong in their blood. So why those younglings where there?

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"And what if I get attacked by enemy ninjas?"

"That's a ridiculous reason. If Konoha gets attacked by enemy ninjas then the alert would begin long before they reach the academy. You'd be already safe within the hidden caches."

"But what if they infiltrate under disguise and target the main sensible points like the hospital and the academy?"

"Isn't it going a bit too far Damaru?"

At her father's remark Damaru fell silent, readjusting absentmindedly her bag on her back.

They finally reached the academy's gates. The school ground was teeming with parents and children. Mothers were giving final touches at their son and daughter's appearance while fathers offered last moment advices and reassuring words.

A middle aged woman noticed them and her expression turned sombre as she began whispering to her child's ear, pushing him gently out of their line of vision.

"Dad..?" Damaru asked hesitantly, looking up to her father as she saw more and more parents do that, glancing at them from time to time.

Daichi sighed, wishing to preserve his daughter's innocence as long possible, but knowing it was actually impossible. He kneeled at her level and smiled reassuringly, putting a hand on her head.

"Princess." He said nonetheless seriously "I know that you don't like being the centre of attention, but I'm afraid you're doomed. You're a Senju Damaru, and everyone will look at you. You have to take support it and don't worry, they aren't all like that."

He passed a hand gently over Damaru's hairs before pushing her forward.

They assisted to the Hokkage's speech, Damaru glued to her father's leg.

It was hard, but when it was time to separate, Damaru managed to let her father walk away.

The teacher entered and he and his assistant directed the 25 children making class A-2 to their assigned sits.

"We will begin with a little test to see how far you are in your studies." The teacher said, the class erupting in whines "Now don't be so against it. Once it is done we'll let you play the rest of the day."

At that 25 little faces illuminated and they accepted almost eagerly the papers the teacher's assistant distributed.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"Holy… hey Tsuki, come and see!"

The teacher's assistant, named Tsuki, looked up from her pile of tests she was busy correcting, an eyebrow raised.

"Now, if it's a laughing worthy error." She said, frowning lightly "It's really not the time, and might I remind you they're just six years old!"

"I know, I know." The teacher insisted "But it isn't for that, trust me!"

Her curiosity now roused, Tsuki got up from her chair to place herself behind her co-worker, her eyes scanning the test sheet.

"Oh my!" she exclaimed, re-reading it just to be sure.

"See." The teacher smirked "No error whatsoever, she even answered correctly the two written question!"

"Now." Tsuki placated "Don't get worked up. It might just be luck."

"Or we might be in front of another genius, just like Itachi Uchiha." Her partner replied excitedly.

"Alright." Tsuki sighed "Let's go see Itoshi."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

Damaru smiled, jumping igorously above the jump rope as it returned to her in a graceful arc.

True, at first it was a bit odd. The girls didn't especially want to play with her, but they had needed a third one.

At first it was a bit awkward, but they were little girls and soon enough they were laughing and running, playing like they always had been together.

Damaru was happy, felt accepted.

The illusion was cut short when the teacher's assistant appeared near her.

Immediately the three girls stopped their game. Damaru looked up to the woman while the two others took a step back, their eyes once again veiled with distrust and slight apprehension.

Damaru glanced at them, and sighed softly, her eyes looking down in defeat.

"Senju Damaru?" The woman asked gently, smiling when the girl nodded "Please follow me."

Damaru walked behind her, feeling like a convicted person led to the scaffold.

Children turned to look at her, their eyes piercing her before hushing quietly between them.

She wasn't like them, she was different.

Even Damaru herself was conscious of that.

They entered the academy and the teacher's assistant led her upstairs to a study, where an old woman was busy filling paperwork.

"Itoshi-san?" The teacher's assistant asked politely once she knocked and opened the door partway "I bring Damaru-chan."

"Ah, please enter." The woman named Itoshi smiled, appearing welcoming as the little girl sat on a chair with the teacher's assistant's help "Hello Damaru-chan, I hope that so far you're enjoying your first day here."

Damaru was a frank creature, and not once it crossed her mind to falsely smile and answer positively.

"It's hard to make friends."

At her statement the smile on Itoshi-san disappeared a moment before returning, slightly hesitant.

"Don't worry too much about that. They just need to get to know you better."

Damaru was highly suspicious about the statement, but she was polite and so stayed silent.

"Now Damaru-chan." The old woman said "We were impressed by the test you took earlier this morning. You did very well."

Blushing lightly under the praise, Damaru smiled shyly in thanks.

"Seeing that you did so well." Itoshi-san continued "We would like to test how far your knowledges go. Is that alright with you?"

Not feeling like she had much choice, Damaru nodded.

Tsuki, who was sitting beside her, sighed discreetly.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"Sakumo-ojii!" Damaru exclaimed happily, running into her uncle's arms.

The man smiled and got up with her cradled in his hold.

"How was your day?" he asked.

He raised an eyebrow when the smile on the little girl's face disappeared.

"It was weird." She said.

"How so?"

"Well, we had a test in the morning. After that we were free to play all day and I had managed to get some girls to play with me when the teacher's assistant came to get me."

"Why did they want?"

"They wanted me to pass more tests. I had to answer 5 more written tests. The three firsts were easy, the fourth one was hard and I couldn't do the fifth one. I also had to throw kunais, shurikens and long, thin needles. They made me run, jump and do a lot of physical exercises. I finished a few hours after lunch and they gave me this for my father."

She fished out of her bag a beige envelope and handed it to Sakumo.

The man put down the little girl before opening the envelope.

It was a convocation.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter twelve

**As always, a BIG thank to Sukki18 for her review (I'm actually becoming addicted to them XD) and Lucio BetaBlake for her/his kind review. **

**In this chapter I introduce two new characters! Why them? Because I like them and I frankly hate Danzo (those who can guess with this sole hint, I offer you a chocolate chip cookie!). **

**Read and enjoy (and don't forget to leave a little review for the author!)!**

"So?" Sakumo asked once he heard the door open and close "How did it go?"

Kakashi also perked up as he saw his uncle enter the living room.

The man released a huge sigh as an answer, falling down on the sofa.

There was silence stretching in the room for a while. Kakashi and Sakumo patiently waited.

"They…want her to skip three grades." The dark haired man finally released "She would graduate in two years."

Sakumo frowned while Kakashi's expression turned sombre.

"We aren't in a time of war." Sakumo tried "They can't force it if you oppose them."

"It isn't that simple." Daichi sighed again "The council was warned. Apparently we need more 'prodigies' like Itachi to give a strong image of the village. I only managed to reduce the number of classes they wanted to make her jump."

Sakumo swore lightly under his breath and Kakashi scowled.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"Silence." the teacher ordered, glaring at some turbulent eight years old boys at the back of the class "Today you'll have a new classmate. I'll warn you already she's younger than you by two years, so please be gentle with her. You can come in now!"

The door slided open and a little girl with white hair stepped inside shyly, eyes down, her hands playing with the hem of her top.

"Present yourself to the class." The teacher said.

The girl nodded before moving beside the desk, tumbling a bit and making the class laugh.

"Silence!" the teacher exclaimed before turning to the girl "Don't be shy, go on."

Damaru stepped beside the man, fidgeting a bit before saying:

"M-my name is Senju Damaru. I'm six years old."

She stopped when she felt the weight of the children's stares on her.

At the mention of her name, all sounds ceased and they all stared at the tiny, white haired child blushing lightly beside the teacher's desk.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

A blond baby laughed merrily, clapping his hands as his sister threw colourful streamers in the air.

"Happy birthday Naruto-kun!" Damaru exclaimed happily before accepting a spoonful of cake from Sasuke "That's for me? Thank you Sasuke-kun."

"They really seem to like you very much." Itachi smiled, entering the living room with a tray.

He put it down on the low table and began setting up the tea, as well as the juices and fruits for Naruto and Sasuke.

"I'm a bit jealous actually." He admitted.

Damaru stayed silent, fixing him with stern eyes.

All month she stayed silent, observing quietly his slight limps, peeks of purple and black underneath the rim of his clothes and the shortened times he passed with Sasuke and Naruto.

She tried to pry, coax and ask, but all it did was make Itachi close up like an oyster.

So she stopped, worrying but not acting upon it.

She was distracted from her gloomy thoughts when Naruto waddled to her, tugging on her shirt before silently asking to be picked up.

"So you're really like your present birthday boy." Damaru smiled, seeing that even when she picked him up he didn't let go of his frog plushie.

"Do you know who sent that?" Itachi asked curiously.

"Nope, but it was thoroughly checked by dad, Sakumo-ojii and even Kakashi-nii." Damaru answered before bringing up another subject "And you know…"

She pried Naruto away from her to put him in his arms.

"…You're as important to them as I am."

To prove her point, Naruto smiled as he latched onto the boy, babbling happily.

Itachi's soft smile was for Damaru worth a thousand suns.

It was the first one in a lot of weeks.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"Inazuma, Taiyo!" Damaru called, tightening her cloak around her.

A bush rustled and the silver furred wolf appeared, carrying the yellow and golden cubs.

"Thanks Gin." The white haired girl smiled as he put the little ones down, growling softly in scolding.

The cubs' ears flattened against their skulls and they bolted to take refuge behind the white furred wolf's legs.

Damaru giggled, accompanied by the white wolf soft snort.

They were distracted by a low rumbling and they all looked up to see black clouds gathering in the grey autumn sky.

"Looks like it's gonna rain." Damaru said "We're too far from home, we should find a shelter."

Gin, the silver wolf, nodded before disappearing again.

"You can go too Yuki." Damaru said to the white wolf "I'll look after Inazuma and Taiyo."

The wolf nodded before trotting away.

The trio had to wait half an hour before Gin came back.

"You found something?" Damaru asked, putting a hand on the cold silver fur of his neck.

He nodded before leading them into the threshold of the forest.

They were soon joined by Yuki as they progressed deeper and deeper into the woods, climbing up the mountain.

They were unfortunately caught by the rain and Damaru took Inazuma in her arms while Yuki grabbed Taiyo when the ground became too muddy for the two to progress efficiently.

Damaru sighed in relief when they reached a little hut nestled against the rocks of a rocky cliff.

She put Inazuma down and pushed the door open.

The man and the child in it turned to her.

She stopped, blinking, but had no time to say anything.

"There you are." The man said in an emotionless tone that gave her the creeps "You are late. You know Danzo-sama doesn't like lateness."

"S-Sorry, b.." Damaru tried, only to be entrusted forcefully with a bundle.

A moving bundle.

"No excuse." The man said "You'll probably get punished later. For now do what you've come for and look after those two."

Damaru blinked, her peridot eyes peering into curious black ones.

"B-But…" she tried again.

"I'll take my leave now." Cut the man, doing a handsign before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

Damaru stayed where she was, dumbfounded, until she felt a pressure on her back.

She turned to see Gin.

"Ah, sorry!" she exclaimed, stepping aside to let them in.

They stepped inside and shaked off the excess of water in their fur going to lie down near the fire.

Damaru followed them until she saw the little child huddled in a corner, looking fearfully at the canines.

"Hey!" she said gently, walking to him before kneeling at his level "You have nothing to fear. They won't attack you."

The child relaxed a bit but still refused to get out of his corner.

So Damaru sat beside him.

"Is this your brother?" she asked, pointing to the baby in her arms "What's his name? How old is he?"

"They told me he's my adoptive brother. He's almost two year old." The boy answered automatically, his tone not unlike he man's "He has no name."

"No name?" Damaru blinked, surprised "But everyone have a name."

"I don't have one."

"Really? You never once thought of a name for you or your adoptive brother?"

At Damaru's question the boy began fidgeting nervously.

"Well…" he said tentatively "Sai."

"For you?"

"No, for my adoptive brother."

"Sai." Damaru tested before smiling "That's a beautiful name. You know, I also have an adoptive baby brother. His name is Naruto."

"That's a beautiful name too." The boy smiled, relaxing more.

"Indeed." Damaru nodded "And for you?"

"For me?"

"Yes, did you think of a name for you?"

The child shooked his head.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"I'm home." Sakumo announced, stepping in and shooking his head to expulse the excess of water.

"Welcome." Daichi smiled, busy playing with Naruto.

"Ah? Where is Damaru-chan?" The white haired man asked when he saw the little girl nowhere.

"She's out with the wolves." His friend answered.

"In this rain?"

They looked outside the window, were a thick sheet of rain was pouring down.

"She probably found a shelter and is waiting for it to stop." Daichi provided "Don't fret."

"I do not _fret_." Sakumo replied sternly.

"Of course not." His friend said sarcastically, rolling his eyes "You worry too much. Damaru is responsible and mature. She's strong and the wolves are with her."

"Yeah, like last time."

"What do you suggest? You want me to lock her in and never allow her to step a toe outside? She's a future kunoichi. She'll be in situations where you and I will not be here to help. Locking her in will not help her."

"I got it, I got it." Sakumo sighed, sitting beside him "But still, it doesn't stop me to worry."

"I'm worrying too Sakumo, but she's growing up."

"Too quickly."

"I know."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"So, let me get this straight. You're an orphan and were 'adopted' by a man named Danzo."

"Yes."

"He said you would be trained to become a shinobi and would only obey him. Then he said you had to get rid of all emotions and that you didn't need a name."

"Exactly."

"And he's already begun training you 18 hours a day."

"Yes."

"And you find it normal?"

"Well…isn't it?"

"How old are you?"

"I'm four year old."

Damaru blinked and looked at the tiny child in front of her. He was four years old?

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

There was a silence before the white haired girl exploded.

"That's awful!"

The child tilted his body away from her instinctively.

"What?"

"Yes! Awful! How could this man do that? It's stupid and dangerous! Even my father refuse that I train more than five hours a day! He says that I'm still a child and I need to sleep at least ten hours, to do other things like play and read. I'm still growing so if I train longer I might hurt myself and be incapable of doing things later. And there's also my friend, I have to pass some time with him too."

"Really?"

"Yes! Look at you! Don't you think I can't see your wounds! And you are four and look like a three years old! Does this Danzo guy feed you?"

"I get the bruises from training. Danzo-sama says it's normal and that the pain will get me stronger. As for food I have to find it myself."

He stopped speaking to blink at Damaru who at that point was open mouthed.

"…That's awful?" he guessed.

"Yes!" Damaru exploded again, this time resulting in the child and the wolves to move backward "How could he said that to you! He 'adopts' you and then let you fend for yourself! When you adopt someone you have to act like real parents! He has to feed you, comfort you and make sure you're safe! And while my father told me a little pain during training is indeed a good thing, this amount of wounds is more a bad thing than a good one."

"Is that how you have to act when you adopt someone?" The child asked curiously.

"Yes." Damaru affirmed strongly "Just like I am with Naruto-kun and how you have to be with Sai."

The child looked at the toddler sleeping peacefully in Damaru's arm and seemed thoughtful.

Damaru let him and looked outside to see the rain had stopped.

She turned to the wolves.

"Can one of you go fetch my dad or Sakumo-ojii?"

"Little boy?" She asked, turning back to him "How about you come back with me?"

"With you?" The boy repeated, his eyes going wide.

"Yes." Damaru smiled "We have enough room at home and I'll promise you a warm bed, warm food, and you and Sai will be safe."

The boy looked hopeful yet afraid.

"Are you sure it's alright?"

"Of course." Damaru insisted "And I won't let you stay here. If you want later you can go but for now I want you to come with me."

She extended an arm and smiled. The boy hesitated.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"Damaru?" Her father called her as he entered the hut, Sakumo and Gin behind him "What's happening?"

"We need to go." His daughter said quickly "I'm afraid that someone might come and stop us from taking them."

"Wow wow slow down princess." Cut Sakumo, kneeling to the children's level "How did you end up with those two? Who are they? Who is that someone?"

"I promise I'll explain later." Damaru replied urgently, clutching Sai tighter against her while pulling on the child's hand to take a step outside "But we have to go!"

Her father glanced at her serious face before sighing.

"Let's go." He said, taking the nameless child in his arms "Sakumo, take the baby…"

"Sai." The child in his arms interrupted.

"Sakumo, take Sai. Damaru, I hope you can follow? We will not go fast."

"No problem." His white haired daughter smiled, taking Taiyo in her arms (the ground outside was still muddy).

Yuki snatched Inazuma and they departed.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter thirteen

**A big thank to Sukki18 as always and also to Lucio Betablake for ****his**** clarification. **

**Enjoy this new chapter and don't hesitate to leave a little review!**

_Previously:_

"_Damaru?" her father called as he entered the hut "What's happening?"_

"_We need to go." The child said "I'm afraid that someone might come and stop us from taking them."_

"_Wow wow slow down princess." Sakumo cut, kneeling to the children's level "How did you end up with those two? Who are they? Who is that someone?"_

"_I promise I'll explain later." Damaru replied urgently, clutching Sai tighter against her chest while pulling on the child's hand to take a step outside "But we have to go!"_

_Her father glanced at her serious face before sighing._

"_Let's go." He said, taking the nameless child in his arms "Sakumo, take the baby…"_

"_Sai." interrupted the child in his arms._

"_Sakumo, take Sai. Damaru, I hope you can follow? We will not go fast."_

"_No problem." The white haired child smiled, taking Taiyo in her arms (the ground outside was still muddy)._

_Yuki snatched Inazuma and they departed._

Now:

"Root?" Daichi repeated "Danzo?"

"Yes." Damaru assured "The child told me that this Danzo guy was recruiting orphans to form a root, or something like that. But it's horrible! He let them fend for themselves! And they're barely protected against the cold weather!"

Daichi smiled before taking his daughter in his laps "You're always ready to help others, just like your mother. But you have to understand we can't take in every orphans in Konoha."

"I don't want to do that." Damaru replied stubbornly, looking up to him "I just want to take in Sai and his brother."

At her answer Sakumo chuckled and ruffled her hairs.

"Just like your parents." he smiled "Now how about you go to bed? You have school tomorrow."

"Goodnight." Damaru nodded before kissing her father and uncle's cheek and heading upstairs.

On the first floor, she passed by Naruto and Sai's room, kissing their forehead gently before entering the child's room.

"Are you alright?" she asked the boy who was snuggled in his bed's covers.

"This is so different than what I always knew." He said thoughtfully.

"I can imagine." Damaru replied softly, sitting on the side of the bed "Aren't you tired?"

"Yes, but I can't sleep."

"Hm." The white haired girl mused out loud "How about I sing you a lullaby? I do it for Naruto and Sasuke."

The boy looked thoughtful for a few seconds before nodding and lying down on the bed.

Damaru smiled before humming softly, low hushed words escaping from her lips.

"_I pray you'll be our eyes, and watch us where we go…"_

It didn't take long for the boy to close his eyes and succumb to sleep.

Damaru smiled, covered him with more covers before exiting the room silently and entering hers.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"They're both clearly underfed." Rin stated, her brows furrowing as she examined the little body of Sai, the nameless child sitting beside the toddler.

"So what do we do?" Kakashi asked, Damaru sitting on his laps.

"Begin lightly." The medic advised "Fruits, vegetables and a bit of meat. After they gain a few kilos you can add little bits of sugary food and after that, little amounts of glucides like pastas or rice."

"Understood." Kakashi nodded, putting Damaru down "I'll go and buy a few things."

"I have to return to the hospital." Rin added before turning to Kakashi "I'll see you later?"

"Of course." The man smirked, leaning in for a kiss.

Damaru and the child looked at each other before grimacing comically.

"What was that?" Kakashi asked, turning to them, frowning.

"Nothing!" Damaru offered, smiling innocently.

The child imitated her and they bolted outside, leaving the two together with Sai.

"Come back here you little monsters!" exclaimed angrily Kakashi "You need to look after Naruto and Sai!"

Rin giggled lightly, only smiling when Kakashi turned his frown to her.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"He seems really shy." Itachi observed as he glanced at the boy who was busy playing with Sai a bit away.

"Well, until now he was with a man who drilled into his head that showing any emotions was a weakness." Damaru scoffed "I'm actually surprised he isn't much more closed up."

"This Danzo has the same ideas as my father concerning emotions." Itachi sighed.

"Well they're both stupid."

The black haired boy turned to Damaru, genuinely surprised.

"Both?"

"Yes." The girl answered, confident "My father, uncle and brother, they all fight better when they think of their loved ones. They use the love they feel to increase their powers if I understood completely. Dad even told me once that if you really control perfectly your emotion you can even turn negative emotions like sadness and hate into strength."

"That's interesting." Itachi mused out loud.

They were distracted when Naruto waddled to them, followed by a stubborn Sasuke who was still at the all fours stage (though he was already forming words where the blond toddler was only babbling incoherently).

Damaru smiled and took Sasuke in her arms while Itachi took Naruto.

"My father said that no one is stronger than someone protecting his loved ones." Damaru said with all the trust a little girl had for her father, hugging Sasuke against her "And he is rarely wrong."

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"You wanted to see me Hokage-sama?" Daichi asked, entering the room.

"Yes." Danzo answered as if he had been spoken to "We wanted to see you about the two boys you took in a few weeks ago."

Sarutobi threw an exasperated look at the old man.

His ancient friend had bothered him for days and days on this matter.

He really wanted the boys back.

'I really hope you did something Daichi' The man thought.

"What about them?" Daichi asked, crossing his arms.

"We will ask you to hand them in." Danzo said "You cannot keep them with you forever. They have to go to Konoha's orphanage."

"I'm afraid that it will be impossible." The Senju calmly replied, taking out a few sheets of paper and putting them on the desk "Because I adopted them."

"You what?"

"Adopted them." Daichi repeated slowly, as if speaking to a child "Everything was done legally, and the oldest even chose himself a name. So, if you don't have other objection, I'll be taking my leave."

"Of course Daichi-san." Sarutobi smiled, speaking for the first time "You can leave. Return to your family."

The man bowed and exited the room.

"How can you let this happen!" Danzo exclaimed angrily, glaring at the old man.

"Why?" The Hokage replied, his tone neutral but his smile showing he was highly amused "All those papers are right. The little boys are now under the protection of the Senjus."

He stifled a laugh as Danzo almost blew up, not used to be crossed like that.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

"Shin-kun." Damaru sighed as she looked at the grey haired boy with a slightly exasperated look "You need new clothes."

"But the ones I have are more than enough." The four years old pouted.

"No they're not." Damaru countered, taking his hand and forcefully dragging him toward the commercial centre "Come on."

Shin pouted more but still followed.

They passed in front of the Uchiha compound and the boy almost crashed into his adopted sister's back when she abruptly stopped.

He blinked, looking up at her before following her gaze to the gates giving access into the compound.

There were two children, a boy and a girl. They looked much older than him or Damaru.

One, her eyes typical of the Hyuuga clan, had black hairs while the boy had fiery orange blond hairs and brown eyes.

They seemed to be arguing with one of the guards standing in front of the gates.

Shin was surprised when he saw Damaru move toward them, but nonetheless followed her. This was much more interesting than buying clothes.

As they neared the three, their voices got much clearer and Shin was able to catch on the conversation they were having.

"…not receiving you." The guard finished "Now go away."

"Why can't we enter?" The boy insisted, refusing to back down "He's our teammate!"

"Kotetsu-san, Hikari-san?" Damaru asked, stepping near them "What's happening?"

"Damaru-chan." Hikari recognised "We wanted to invite Itachi to eat with us, but the guard won't let us enter."

"The squirt has been acting strange for some time now" Kotetsu added "At the beginning he was at least a bit open, but now he's worse than an oyster."

"We're worried." Hikari finished "His mood is gloomy all the time and he doesn't seem very wealthy at our training."

Damaru sighed before narrowing her eyes.

If even his team was worried, then she couldn't stay put anymore.

She turned her gaze to the guard.

"Let us pass." She ordered to the man who narrowed his eyes back at her.

"No." he said "Unless you're an Uchiha or the Hokkage, you cannot pass."

Damaru's eye darkened and narrowed even more, making the guard slightly uncomfortable.

"I am Damaru Senju, heiress of the Senju clan." She announced, her voice the consistency of steel "I suggest you let us pass before I take your refusal as a grave insult toward my family."

The guard gulped, not wanting to show weakness in front of a bunch of kids, especially if it was caused by a mere slip of girl barely seven. But he knew that if Daichi Senju got involved, this could get serious.

He really had no choice.

"Alright." He grumbled, stepping aside.

"Arigato." Damaru thanked neutrally before entering, followed by wide eye open children who had never seen this side of her.

"Awesome!" Kotetsu exclaimed once they were far enough "How did you do that! The man was ready to wet his pants."

"I think you're exaggerating a bit too much." Hikari sighed before smiling "But it was still impressive Damaru-chan."

"It's nothing really." The white haired girl smiled back, giggling a bit "I just copied my dad. He does it once or twice when he wants to intimidate someone."

"Remind me to not piss off your dad then." Kotetsu shuddered before changing subject "Anyway, we came here to find Itachi. Hikari?"

"On it." The girl assured, activating her byakugan.

She scanned the road they were on before pointing a bit to their right.

"He's here." She said "Approximately 100 metres away."

"Let's go then." Damaru decided before beginning to run, Shin at her heels and quickly followed by Kotetsu and Hikari.

They weaved their way through the numerous buildings, roads and hallways before reaching the training complex.

"This way." Hikari guided, turning slightly left.

They ran through a little forest before reaching a large clearing clearly used as training ground, as training tools and dummies were lying around.

But the group didn't notice them, their eyes immediately going to a young boy with black hair who was fighting the head of the Uchiha clan.

Getting beaten up would be more appropriate. Suddenly the man kicked him away and Itachi collided violently against a tree trunk, choking up in pain.

"Itachi-kun!" Damaru yelled, running to him without thinking, her mind only focused on the body sprawled on the flour a few metres from her.

As she reached him Fugaku appeared, intended on dealing another blow on his son.

He brought down his arm, only to frown as two children appeared before him, blocking his kick.

He blinked slowly before looking at the white haired child kneeling over Itachi, her hands glowing a soft green as a little grey haired boy looked over curiously.

"Step aside." He said coldly, glaring at the two children still blocking his arm.

"No way." The blond haired boy retorted hotly, glaring at him.

"You shouldn't continue fighting when your opponent is unconscious." The black haired girl added coldly.

"I am judge of how I treat my son." Fugaku threatened freezingly, retreating his arm.

"He needs to be taken to the hospital." Damaru interrupted urgently, stopping her scanning and looking up at them "Kotetsu-san please help!"

The boy nodded before kneeling beside Itachi, helping Damaru put the unconscious boy on his back.

"Who gave you the permission to take my son anywhere?" Fugaku growled, not liking the way the situation was slipping away from him.

Damaru turned burning eyes at him and glared, totally unaffected by his own cold glare so angry she was.

"Your son almost received an internal injury." She exclaimed angrily "His stomach is dangerously bruised and his muscles are at their limit. So if you don't want him to be severely handicapped later in his life I suggest you let us pass."

And without any other glance at him she gestured for Kotetsu to move forward.

::0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0::

There was too much light. He scrunched his eyes tighter in hope of blocking it before admitting defeat and slowly opening them.

There was a lot of white. The walls, sheets, were all of a soft white.

It wasn't his bedroom at all.

As it was, it looked more like a hospital room.

How did he land in the hospital?

His eyes widened and he bolted into a seated position as he suddenly remembered.

His father! They were training! And then…

"Itachi."

He turned to see Damaru sitting on a chair beside his bed.

"Damaru." He numbly greeted back, still trying to remember.

"I'm glad you're awake." The girl smiled "You were out for a whole day."

'A whole day?' Itachi though, his eyes widening.

"How…" he began, before clutching his throat, suddenly feeling how parched it felt.

"Here." Damaru said, presenting him a glass of water.

He took it gratefully and drank, the cool water soothing his dry throat.

"Thanks." He sighed, giving the glass back "But why am I in the hospital?"

"We brought you here." Explained the white haired girl "Hikari-san, Kotetsu-san, Shin-kun and I went to see you and caught you…hum…'sparing' with your father. You were gravely injured and I thought it would be best to take you to the hospital."

Itachi nodded and a heavy silence settled in.

The black haired boy looked at Damaru, who was fidgeting lightly. He knew she wanted to say something, but didn't dare to.

"Damaru?" he asked kindly "What is it?"

The white haired girl seemed surprised, but quickly sobered before sighing heavily.

Itachi was a bit surprised when she took his hands tightly in hers, but let her.

"Please." She said softly "Stop lying to me."

Itachi blinked as she clenched his hands tighter, trembling slightly.

She looked down, and added in a little voice:

"All this time I could see your injuries, but I couldn't get you to talk. I assisted silently as it went from bad to worse, and I could do nothing."

She looked up to him again and Itachi winced slightly when he saw her peridot green eyes full of tears.

"I was so worried." She continued, her voice quivering lightly "I couldn't do anything and you seemed to close down to everyone, even me. You distanced yourself and I began asking myself if I did something wrong."

She let her tears fall.

"You're my only friend. You're precious to me. You haven't smiled since so long now. You don't have to confront whatever you're fighting against alone. I'm here! And so is Kotetsu-san and Hikari-san. Even Sakumo-ojii was worried. And don't forget Sasuke-chan and Naruto-chan."

She closed her eyes tightly in a desperate attempt to contain the flow of tears.

"You're not alone."

She opened her eyes again in surprise as she felt her hands emptied and arms surround her frame before being pulled closer.

"I'm sorry." Itachi said softly against her ear, hugging her tightly "I'm sorry."

"Baka." Damaru whispered before letting her sobs out, hugging back the black haired boy with force.

Itachi's eyes softened as he held her, letting her cry.

He burrowed his head in the crook of her neck, tightening his hold on her.

'_I swear as long as I will live, you'll never cry again.'_


End file.
